|
Have you ever noticed how much better things look on a full
stomach? Or having 'real food' - as opposed to something out of a box from your freezer
or a fast food place - seems to sooth the soul? Some foods will fill you up, but not satisfy. Something
about the smells of a picnic ham baking in the oven with a little clove, scenting the whole house,
and creeping into your frame of mind. Sort of a nice warm feeling. The catch phrase is soul food.
Maybe we all should have some of that before we tackle life's problems.
As a working woman I know I don't cook as I once did. I can't remember the last time
I peeled potatoes, cooked and mashed them. The box stuff is faster, and almost as good.
Gravy from scratch? Well if you count biscuits and gravy, last week. But other than that?
Can't remember.
Seems we all make changes, adapt, and conform to the demands of job, family and time
constraints. Some times with 'almost as good' results, and other times things suffer. The jobs
get done, work has to get done, so what suffers?
Us.
In my personal experience I find less time for the non-essential things I like to do. That's
opposed to the essential things which have to be done. I don't need to list them here, I think
you know what yours are too.
But a little word of hope here. It's winter in North America. Our world can slow down a bit if
we set some personal priorities. The one thing we can't buy is time. We have to make it!
Or take it, or steal it. But we must do whatever it takes to get some.
If we get in the habit now, by the time Spring rolls around, maybe the personal time thing will be
ingrained enough to be a permanent part of our lives!
Fly Fishing is about personal time. Time to go fishing, time to plan an outing, time to spend on
ourselves! Fly tying is much the same. You don't have to go somewhere else to do it, a place
where you can keep your tying stuff out 'tho really helps. But this is personal time. Sure both
can be a challenge, or learning experience, busy work or whatever we choose. Whatever it is,
it is ours, and our choice.
I've said before fly fishing is about hope. So is tying. It's more than that. It is a means
of survival. Without the personal time, time to just be, time to just be us, the person we
are, our own humanity ceases to exist.
I remember seeing a tee shirt with Rodin's 'Thinker' on the front with the text below it,
"I Fish, Therefore I Am." And if we don't fish? ~ LadyFisher
If you would like to comment on this or any other article please feel free to
post your views on the FAOL Bulletin Board!
|
