The Fisherman

Reflections on the Pond

If you read a child a story, they will hear it; if you tell a child a story, they will listen to it. Make it one to remember. One with a point. Instead of pointing out the mistakes. Point out the lesson. Stagnant pond water gathers no reflection.

We try to protect our children from what they cannot see. There were so many lessons my father taught me as a child that I never realized until I had children of my own.

Staring into murky pond water covered in green moss and scum because it had been sitting stagnant for so long concealing and hiding what we cannot see. Holding a miniature pink Barbie Shakespeare rod with an orange and yellow bobber, waiting for a bite, up and down. Running around, being impatient, annoying the hell out of my father because I couldn't sit still. I learned some of the biggest lessons I would use later on in life.

He grew impatient with me because every time he turned around, he was having to put a worm on the hook because I didn’t want to touch it, or take the fish off of it because I was too afraid of it. Trying to teach me patience, he himself became impatient.

Attempting to teach me to appreciate the stillness and yet still grow, the pond became stagnant. I was teaching him while he was attempting to teach me. He was teaching me how to appreciate the…