Gone Fishing

I believe that 90% of the time, when you meet someone, regardless of everything and anything, the person will tell you that they “are feeling fine.” Even in the doctor's office, most will say “I'm fine, except for this or that.” It has become a habit to say we are fine, whether we are fine or not. In our world of make-believe, pretending, masquerading, we want to believe that everything is fine.

In my lifetime, I have seen the onslaught of counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists. The first psychiatrist I ever knew, was in the military, 60 years ago. He said, “there is not much business in civilian life for psychiatry, most people can handle their own problems, but the pay is good.” During the same time in history, we have seen increased stress. There was a time when stores closed one afternoon each week, the owner would put a sign on the door, “gone fishing”.

I well remember when no stores at all were open on Sunday, it was hard to find an open gas station. Then, there were a few stores open, drug stores, grocery stores, etc, but with “blue laws”, only items of necessity were to be purchased on Sunday. Now, most stores are open 7 days a week; and some of them, 24 hours to the day. If you started working at age 22, worked until the age of 65, 40 hours a week, with 4 weeks off to the year, you would work 86,400 hours during your lifetime. How much time did you take for relaxation during those years?

My great grandfather (born in 1848, died in 1908) was the father of twelve children, a large land owner, from one of NC's first families, left each child a large farm. Still, he traveled eastern North Carolina as a country preacher. I never met but one man who remembered him, himself a preacher, Ernest Killette. He was an old man when I met him, he said that he was a young boy when Elder Lucas visited his home and church. He said, “it was my job to take care of his magnificent horse.” Reverend Killette told me that he and his wife spent several hours of each week fishing. He was sure that God would add the time he spent fishing to his life.

My own grandmother, a daughter of Elder Lucas, spent several hours of each week fishing. She owned the largest black sedan in the whole community. As far as I know, she never owned a rod or reel, she had way of putting some fishing poles in her wonderful car, she would head to a pond or river and fish for several hours. As a very young boy, I can remember keeping her supplied with fishing worms. This was before the time of refrigeration and she always caught a large “mess” of fish for the family. My mother embroidered, some women crochet, others play bridge, but every person should have some form of vacation/relaxation from the routine and work-world of life. I know some men who play golf every week, tennis, or some other type sport. Until you, physically, cannot do these things, you owe it to yourself and to those around you to spend time in relaxation...long time dead.

Those of us who are disabled, just do the best we can in keeping our minds and bodies active and relaxed. It bothers me that most productive people must work several jobs just to stay afloat. Life is for living, not just steady drudgery in the harness of survival, lives of quiet desperation.

A great preacher from Ireland was in my office. I loved to hear him, because he had memorize most of the Bible. He said, “I started out as a street preacher and since there was not much light, I had to memorize everything.” He said, “it is necessary for me to have some quiet time with God. I find that Americans are in a constant motion, trying to do so many things. Even in church, Satan is on their shoulder, talking to them about something they need to do.”

If you ask the average young person what they want in life, 90% of the time they will say “to be successful.” By success, they usually mean money and the things money can buy. They want certain labels in their clothes, a certain car in the garage, a certain type home, designer spouse, designer children, designer profession, they want celebrity. Don't confuse celebrity with success, consider Helen Keller and Madonna. Ralph Waldo Emerson gives us his definition of success: “To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

Of the 30 nations with the most advanced economies, America continues to rank in the 20s with regard to education. We have the best university system in the world, students from other countries flock here, but we have one of the poorest systems leading to college, whether in impoverished or affluent areas. In many high schools, you just have to show up. We need to overhaul education, students need something besides self-esteem and entertainment. Tenure has ruined educators, like livestock, students are just herded from one grade to another. Obviously, it does not bother educators that our dropout rate is so high, that the very ones who need most to be in school, preparing for the future, are not there.

Chairs were prohibited in the early temples, worshipers stood for the scripture. When you have put forth the effort leading to success, when you have accomplished a worthwhile life, you know the honor of work and relaxation.