Apparently, the saying "there is more than one way to catch a fish" is totally true. A recent trip to Bass Pro Shop for some fishing supplies resulted in a 30 minute education by a sweet older gentleman named Denny. That 30 minute hook, line and sinker demo was just for catching bass! There are other supplies required for catching catfish, bluegill or my sons' favorite fish a crappie (they giggle every time).
Poles packed and expectations high, we headed up to Indian Lake, Ohio for a mini vacation. Hooks were in the water within minutes of our arrival. Then, the waiting game began. The waiting game then lead to the impatient, frustrated and disappointed game.
Tensions were high as bait got lost, hooks caught on logs and no fish were biting. Oh, except for the youngest Vollette who sings to the fish and moves around a lot. The son who has the most desire and knowledge comes up empty every time.
We did our best to encourage the frustrated fishermen to keep trying. We asked ourselves, what might God be trying to teach us in this moment? The lessons we came away with were worth every bit of disappointment. We learned that even when you make really good plans and are really prepared things don't always go your way. We learned that there will be people around you not following the plan or the rules and they might end up getting the very thing you are wanting. You need to keep on the path you know in your heart is right and not compromise your core values. We learned that if you really want something, you need to persevere and not give up when it gets hard. We learned that sometimes in life it just isn't your turn and you need to accept what is, make adjustments and move on.
In the end, our fish story was a success. The Vollette most wanting to catch a fish was finally victorious. He snagged a fish he had never seen before and loved every minute of it. It made all the waiting and frustration worth it. We learned some great life lessons while sitting out on the dock in the early morning mist and the beautiful evening sunset colors. We packed up our poles and headed home. Happy, slightly sunburned and a little wiser.
