Fishing for Thoughts

[rememory]

I have rather an unusual favourite fishing spot. I have been there many times with my rod and tackle. Many times have I cast in my line. But I have never caught a fish there - not once.<br><br>I discovered this spot when I was 18 years old. I was going through a hard time, not getting on with my family and, truth be known, not really getting on with myself either.<br><br>One day after a particularly nasty outburst at my parents, my father took me to one side. He gave me his old fishing rod and his tackle box.<br><br>"You need to go and fish," he said.<br><br>I thought he was stupid. I stood and stared at him.<br><br>"Go and find a place and fish," he repeated.<br><br>I threw his rod and gear in the back of the car and screeched down the driveway in a cloud of dust.<br><br>I drove for a while until I came to a particularly beautiful bridge over the Campaspe River. Muttering to myself, I got out of the car and walked along the sandy river bank until I found a peaceful spot under a beautiful old river red gum tree.<br><br>I baited the hook and cast in my line before settling back against the tree. Time seemed to slow as I watched the water swirling and rippling over branches and twigs in the water. <br><br>As I sat there that afternoon letting the hours wash around me, my mind began to clear and a sense of perspective returned. I realised that some things just weren't important enough to fight over and that I needed to learn to let go of the things that didn't matter.<br><br>I returned home without any fish. Dad just d at me - he knew I had caught what I needed that afternoon.<br><br>I have often returned to my fishing spot, with my rod and reel. I have never caught a fish - but I have always returned with a deeper understanding of something far more important - myself.<br><br><br>Submit your Fishing Adventure Stories to win great prizes at ReMemory.Com