Fishing with Grandpa

Today, I was one of the fortunate people to get to go to the Fishing Rodeo in Salem, VA.  It's a special event for kids with special needs.  They go to the duck pond and fish for a couple of hours.  It's a really cool thing.  The worst part was the old guy who kept crossing our lines with his, then kept suggesting that we cut our lines. No, old man, how about you fish on your side of the pond or cut your own line.  Although he did get his comeuppance when his fish got away.  The best part of the day was seeing all those happy faces every time they caught a fish.  There were a lot of fish caught, let me tell you.

Fishing has another meaning for me.  It was a past time that I shared with my grandfather.  My grandfather passed away when I was 16 years old.  During the 16 years that I had him in my life, he taught me so much.  One of the things he taught me was how to fish.  Grandpa had a houseboat he called "Heaven's Gift."  For many summers, I'd fly from New York City to South Carolina to spend summer break with my grandparents.  We'd spend part of the time in Charleston, the other parts on the houseboat in Bucksport.  Grandpa and I would sit on the back deck of the boat and fish.  He taught me how to bait a hook with a cricket.  They have a cool collar that can hold a hook perfectly.  We never really caught a lot of fish, but when we did, we were so excited.  Mostly because we knew that Grandma would clean and gut the fish.  She then would fry it on the stove on the houseboat.  I always wondered how she could cook it so well considering how small that stove was.

The times I had fishing with Grandpa taught me to really enjoy every moment of your life.  You should especially love the times you have with your loved ones.  For a while after my Grandpa died, I was bitter about fishing.  I saw fishing as a waste of time.  I couldn't stand the thought of going out on a boat with a stick and some string.  After today however, I have to say that I kind of want to do it again.  I realized that even though I missed the most integral part of why I loved fishing, I still loved fishing.  So I don't know when, nor how, but I will try to take up fishing more often.  Maybe not as a full on past time, but at the very least, go out once in a while.  I can also stand to not make fun of fishing contests.



Although I can't lie, when this kind of thing happens during a fishing contest, I have to laugh.

NEVER GIVE UP!!!!