The Caring Counselor

No, not the cartoon. Although the cartoon is pretty good too. I’m talking about taking a trip down the beaten path. Going out on a limb to do something different. Taking that risk.

The week prior beat me to a bloody pulp. I looked like Rocky Balboa near the end of the first movie. Picture for reference.

I straight up told my girlfriend before the weekend that I needed some me time to decompress. She could tell I needed it. I felt the stress in my bones.

When Sunday rolled around, I decided on one of my favorite pastimes. I popped open my trunk, exposing an equipped fishing rod and tackle box. I checked the weather, and it said “partly cloudy” with the temperature in the low 80’s. Zero humidity. I was excited.

I rolled through the nearby Walmart to pickup some nightcrawlers as bait. Next, I pulled this app on my phone called Fishbrain. It shows local fishing spots, what kind of fish people catch there, and what baits they used. Today, I made the bold decision to find a new spot. I will say that I’m still relatively new to where I live, having been there less than a year. I still found a few fishing spots that I frequent. I wanted something new.

I drove around to two or three spots.  At the first spot, there were a bunch of kids already fishing with not much room for anyone else. I couldn’t find parking at the next two spots. I pulled out the map again, and I spotted this little creek tucked back in the woods. It was part of this park system that you easily would drive by if you weren’t looking.

After wandering around and doing two U-turns, I found the entrance to this park. Once parked, there was a huge open field with a path carved right through the middle. While crossing this meadow, I kept my phone out. I kept getting disoriented directionally. Finally, I got my bearings and saw some water in the distance. There was a clearing straight ahead of me with three entrances to the water down the embankment – one on either side of me. I walked straight ahead into the most picturesque fishing spot I ever encountered.

The trees opened up to a small island covered with smooth river rocks. On either side was the trickling stream no more than a foot or two deep. At certain parts, the water flowed over a slew of rocks, adding a bit of tranquil background noise. The water was so clear that I could see through to the other bank and fish swimming right by.

Not only was it absolutely beautiful, but I caught a ton of fish. None of them were large except one trout. Most of them were sunfish and bluegill, but I had a blast. My rod never sat still for too long.

This was all the result of taking a risk. By going out of my comfort zone, I opened up myself to a new opportunity. Is that to say that every risk will turn out beneficial? Absolutely not. However, as long as you feel confident in your cost-benefit analysis, why not take the risk? Especially in a situation like this, what did I have to lose? I find a meh spot where I catch no fish. Oh well. Move into next time. This time around I happened to have a wonderful experience. Adventure time totally worth it.

• The Caring Counselor