It had been a long week. Things at work were as stressful as they could get and allow my co-workers and I to be civil to one another. I got in my car looking forward to a good meal and a relaxing night. The world had other ideas. Just as I was getting on the highway I heard a traffic report, a trailer truck had rolled over and spilled his load 3 miles in front of me and there were no exits between he and I . I tuned into a quiet music station and willed myself to remain calm and not fly off the handle as it would be of no help.

In just under 4 hours I arrived home from a normal 45 minute commute to discover my cat had taken an attitude about not being fed on time and shredded one of the cushions on my kitchen chairs. I cleaned up the mess and fed the by now lucky to be alive animal her dinner and headed upstairs to take a hot shower. That’s the point at which my life took yet another downturn and continuing life had become questionable.

I found a note from my wonderful housekeeper who had been a lifesaver for many years which read, The hot water tank has stopped functioning so I called the plumber but he cannot repair it until Monday so I could not do laundry. OH GREAT ! Just wonderful. I sighed inwardly and repeated the Serenity Prayer to help me stay calm.

I headed downstairs and poured myself a fruit juice and settled in front of the TV. I’m not sure what was on because I awoke just before dawn with a crick in my neck and an ache in my back from sleeping in the recliner.

I cooked up some eggs and had some coffee when I made a decision. I was going to be good to myself today and go for a walk out to my favorite fishing hole.

I loaded all my gear into the car and headed off to that little pull off with the overhanging branches which kept others pretty well out of my favorite place. I got out and gathered all my gear and began the long walk in which was another reason not many came here because they didn’t like making the walk that I found a delight. I never had minded making the walk along this forest trail with it’s twittering birds and chirping squirrels. I listened and heard chipmunks scurrying thru the leaves and the buzzing drone of the insects.

A big portion of this walk is uphill between several mounds of rocks which I had been told were ancient Indian burial mounds. I tread softly as I pass them and find myself thinking about those who had been buried there The Indians consider these burial places sacred.

Looking up ahead slightly I notice a stone set in the earth with a notch cut into it’s top. If one were to squat behind this stone and peer thru the notch it would direct his line of sight to yet another such stone and another beyond that. There might be a few hundred feet or several miles between the stones with no apparent connection except one always pointed to another.

The Indians used stones of this nature as road signs thru the forest and I find myself wandering through my mind trying to live that way with the biggest dangers a neighboring tribe or a bear. As I walk along and wonder silently about these things I can feel the stresses of life slipping away slowly.

I top a rise in the path and break out into a broad meadow with wildflowers and the occasional bush scattered about and notice a deer taking a drink from the stream which feeds into the small 7 acre pond I am heading towards to fish. Not wishing to disturb the deer I hold back standing behind a tree and observe the meadow. It’s mid spring and the growth is just coming into full bloom with bee’s and various other insects buzzing about doing their work. Birds swoop across the grassy area’s eating the insects and arcing into broad dives and turns with sudden upturns to climb again high into the sky. Above me I can see a red tailed hawk riding a thermal and hovering over the meadow watching and waiting for a squirrel or a rabbit or possibly a hedgehog which he can have as a meal. Suddenly the hawk seems to stop dead in mid air and turns downward starting a rapid descent towards the pond. I marvel at this birds agility as he plummets at an amazing speed towards the water and makes a large splash and swoops skyward with a trout in his talons. I laugh inwardly and think to myself well. at least he got a meal and a bath.

I see the deer has finished her drink and moved away so I begin the winding journey towards the pond. I look about me as I walk and notice a large circular area of spun silk wiggling in the sunlight as a spider crawls across it’s micron thick threads to collect it’s prey.

I near the pond and step carefully around a muddy area where an underground spring has seeped upwards and soaked an area about the size of a small living room where I notice three turtles perched on rocks sunning themselves. I approach the waters edge and put down my fishing gear to look across the water. On the other side is a great blue heron standing as still as a statue waiting for a fish to to approach while behind him I again spot the deer working her way thru the tree line searching for food.

I watch the surface of the water to try and locate the telltale movement which indicates a trout is feeding near the surface. I see nothing so pick up my gear and make my way around the pond to where there is a feeder stream and the water is cooler and insects get washed into the pond and the trout just sit and wait. Yes..there…feeding fish….I see the telltale swirl of a tail sucking an insect down before the trout turns and swallows it. I step into the water and use my hat to scoop a few insects off the water to see what the fish are feeding on….I decide on an emerging nymph and tie one on my line and begin casting. My cast falls short and after 4 more attempts I decide to try to get a little closer. I use caution because the sun is at my back and a shadow will spook the fish. I cast over and over and nothing even looks at my fly. I decide to change flies and tie a different one on and begin my casting again. On the 4^th cast a sudden explosion as a fish takes my fly in a breathtaking leap. I only get a quick initial glance at him but he looks like a very large Brookie. I raise my rod tip and apply pressure to him and he responds by zigging to my right and again jumping high out of the water. YES it’s a Brookie and a big one at that! Huge for this pond and I know I have to do everything right or risk loosing him. He zips across to my left at a dizzying speed straining my line and I reach for the drag adjustment when SNAP…my leader broke. I am elated because I now know he is here. I hooked him once and I will hook him again.

I realize I have just lost what is probably the biggest fish in this pond. I’d guess he’d weigh in at well over 3.5 lbs..probably a state record. I’ve fished this pond for over 40 years and I know every inch of it like the back of my hand. Here was the end of a long week followed by a miserable commute and a shredded chair cushion. Then no shower and no clean clothes and yet here I stood smiling a grin ear to ear.

Life was once again a wonderful thing. The surprises that life holds for us are sometimes stressful and sometimes they are marvelous reminders of what life can be. It is our perception of of the events in our life which dictate our viewpoints. You see… I was smiling because I knew that trout would be there tomorrow. I was smiling because I had just experienced an exciting moment from which I was dragged from my normal humdrum life into a world of sudden hope and wonder by a fish. For 2-3 minutes I was transformed from a man in his 50’s to a boy of ten.