No, that is not an original title. Jimmy Buffett wrote a book of the same title when he turned 50 (a good read by the way). My life is not as interesting as Jimmy’s so it is not worthy of a book. I thought a blog was more my style. I love telling stories of my fishing adventures. I have even written about a few of them in a local Georgia Sporting magazine. I figured, as I look age 50 in the eye it is time to start writing these stories down before I am too old to remember them.
I look at 50 with both sorrow and wonder. I am sorry I have wasted so many days of the first 50 years of my life and I wonder what the next years hold. I have already tasted the fear of death with a heart attack last year just before turning 49. It has been a long year of depression. Depression set on by the realization that I am not that immortal young man anymore. But I have come out of it with a greater understanding of life and what is important.
I use to think “he who died with the most toys wins” and I worked hard to have a lot of toys. But now I realize it is the simple things in life that are most important. A tug on the end of a fly rod, the sound of the river running through the shoals, a glass of good single malt scotch (probably the most expensive of my vices), a campfire shared with friends, laying in a hammock. Yes it is time to slow down at 50 and enjoy the simple things in life.
I am not sure what the future holds but I am sure God has a plan for me or else He would have taken me last year. I do know that I have plans for the future. Those plans are to fish, to fish more than I ever have, to fish with friends, old and new. To fish places I have never fished and places I have not been since I went there as a child with my Grandfather. My Grandfather…….now there are some memories.
My Grandfather started me fishing when I was old enough to hold a pole. My first fish was a bluegill as I recall. So big he almost pulled me off the bank and into the pond. Pound for pound (my pounds against his) that was probably the largest fish I have ever caught but more importantly it was that fish that started my passion for fishing. I have since fished all over the southeast following my Grandfather around as a young boy and fishing bass tournaments as a grown man. But no matter where I fish or what I catch those simple days on the pond or river with my Grandfather were the most fun.
It is time to stop blabbering about the past and to move forward and make new stories to tell. So here I go and here I will write them down for all to follow. I hope many of you will join me but if not at least follow me. This is going to be fun. See you on the river.
