Story Ten
Hooked on Fishing
Hooked on Fishing, Terry
Dear Samuel,
The people I write about are close to my heart and in some way connected like kindred spirits. Some are “hooked on fishing” and enjoy the blessings of time spent in the great outdoors! My letters to you are stories created so you can know more about the spirit I share with these people and some things about the family you are part of. I have mentioned my grandfather McKinney and my brother Greg who were my earliest fish'n buddies (in the first chapters of my life). Later chapters, were like a second book in the saga of my life. I would describe the sequel of my life as a second chance to cooperate with the plan God had for me. After I met your grandmother Michelle my life really changed for the better. When your father came into this world I found a new and very important reason to succeed in my school work and desired career. In this time of my new life, I met your great, great grandfather. This is a story about him, Mr. Marian Fisher. I was fortunate to get to call him a fish'n buddy, and I was honored to receive his fish'n tackle box, along with some of his rods and reels. I created the painting "Hooked on Fishing" as a tribute to him. The last phase of my artistic tribute to "Papa Fisherman" (as you dad named him), is this story.
It was the summer of 1985, not long after my father went to be with Jesus and my mother who preceded my dad in the journey to the Great Spirit place, when I found a new family. In that time, I felt like my life was a book that suddenly closed before I had a chance to read the final story. I did not know then, a sequel to the life of a boy who loved fishing, art and the natural world was about to be written. God was about to place some new characters into the second book of my life that would transform the story into my version of happy ever after. A new book seemed to open when I really needed encouragement in the summer of 1985. The sequel began when I fell in love with your grandmother Michelle. Our courtship was chapter one. I still lived in my father’s house and found comfort in my work outdoors with a great mentor named Bill Moody. I wrote about Bill in my first book Children, Dogs and Sunflowers, Many times after work and on Saturdays or Sundays I would go out on the lake behind my father’s house and row an old boat. When I met your grandmother one our first dates included my rowing her around the small lake in that little boat. She thought the date would be matched to a bigger lake and a faster & bigger boat. She discovered instead an unpretentious guy with a liking for her cooking! After a wonderful meal, and the nautical cruise. we talked about the blessings of family. My lifelong commitment to be faithful and love her has brought with it a wonderful life. The years have passed so quickly, my experiences as a father have been rich. I was blessed first with a son, your dad, then a daughter, your aunt Jenny. I hope you will be so fortunate to have a daughter and a son. I will look forward to teaching you about fishing and art. But, now I must get back to the main character in this story, your great-great grandfather Marion Fisher.
Not too long after I fell in love with your grandmother, she invited me to join her family at the Lake of the Ozarks. I remember being a bit apprehensive because, I was afraid the family might not think I was good enough for her, because I was older than her and still not settled in a career with a secure monthly income. I can share with you now dear Samuel, that so many of the things we worry about do not come true and can really undermine our happiness and productivity. My worry in that time was foolish and even wrong because now, I see how God was providing so many things that I needed. I found a mother and father in law that encouraged me in every way and were absolutely wonderful grandparents and now dear friends. Today I can see how very fortunate I was when the sequel to my life was being written by God. Anyway, when I was invited by your grandmother Michelle to meet her family and spend a couple of wonderful days at the Lake of the Ozarks I was accepted and warmly welcomed. All of this occurred again when we met your mother’s wonderful loving family. in South Carolina. It is indeed a great blessing to experience these type of relationships and family that in spirit transcend all material concerns and put aside or do not get caught up in things that some times can divide families. The time when I traveled to be with the Able family at the Lake of the Ozarks was a wonderful experience. It was a special time and I experienced a family tradition, in the company of great people. One of the family members who made me feel comfortable right away was Michelle’s grandfather Marian Fisher. The first evening I was with them, I believe Marian and I went fishing. After We both had caught some fish we began to talk. I told him about my experiences as a construction worker and he shared some experiences about his days as an oil field worker in Oklahoma. I remember telling him I wanted to progress further in school and become a teacher. He nodded and did not say too much. I caught some fish and showed him some of my methods to catch fish. We seemed to become friends right away. Maybe it was a patience and a joy of teaching he observed in me, I am not entirely sure, or may be it was that we shared some experiences of working hard as laborers. Maybe it was the fact I was not inclined to put on false airs, yet also determined to improve my self that he discerned from our talk by the lake. He liked the things I taught him about my fishing technique, and he encouraged me by saying, he thought I would be a good teacher. I believe I said something about construction workers and wildcatters (oil field workers) making good money at times, but not knowing in winter or bad weather if they would find work. I expressed an interest (for a family reasons) to have a more secure monthly income. He smiled at me and nodded again!
I remember very well the last time your great-great grandfather made a trip to see his great grandson and fish with me. He came to a place where we lived by a lake, in a little town called Millersburg, we talked some more that day and he made quite an impression on me. He reminded me of my grandfather Eckels McKinney and Old Paul who I now enjoy as a fish’n buddy. Old Paul reminds me of Marion Fisher and Eckels McKinney in the ways these “salt of the earth” guys are never pretentious or self important, just good honest friends who like to fish and return friendship. I hope you will have my good fortunes to make such friends! Your great grandparents Rosemary (Marion’s) daughter and Albert Able your great grandfather just made a trip from Missouri to South Carolina to see you because they love you so much. It was a long drive for them and the trip, like the trip Marion made to see your dad, took special efforts. Their commitment to family especially a great-great grandson illustrates the spirit of our family!
The people I write about are close to my heart and in some way connected like kindred spirits. Some are “hooked on fishing” and enjoy the blessings of time spent in the great outdoors! My letters to you are stories created so you can know more about the spirit I share with these people and some things about the family you are part of. I have mentioned my grandfather McKinney and my brother Greg who were my earliest fish'n buddies (in the first chapters of my life). Later chapters, were like a second book in the saga of my life. I would describe the sequel of my life as a second chance to cooperate with the plan God had for me. After I met your grandmother Michelle my life really changed for the better. When your father came into this world I found a new and very important reason to succeed in my school work and desired career. In this time of my new life, I met your great, great grandfather. This is a story about him, Mr. Marian Fisher. I was fortunate to get to call him a fish'n buddy, and I was honored to receive his fish'n tackle box, along with some of his rods and reels. I created the painting "Hooked on Fishing" as a tribute to him. The last phase of my artistic tribute to "Papa Fisherman" (as you dad named him), is this story.
It was the summer of 1985, not long after my father went to be with Jesus and my mother who preceded my dad in the journey to the Great Spirit place, when I found a new family. In that time, I felt like my life was a book that suddenly closed before I had a chance to read the final story. I did not know then, a sequel to the life of a boy who loved fishing, art and the natural world was about to be written. God was about to place some new characters into the second book of my life that would transform the story into my version of happy ever after. A new book seemed to open when I really needed encouragement in the summer of 1985. The sequel began when I fell in love with your grandmother Michelle. Our courtship was chapter one. I still lived in my father’s house and found comfort in my work outdoors with a great mentor named Bill Moody. I wrote about Bill in my first book Children, Dogs and Sunflowers, Many times after work and on Saturdays or Sundays I would go out on the lake behind my father’s house and row an old boat. When I met your grandmother one our first dates included my rowing her around the small lake in that little boat. She thought the date would be matched to a bigger lake and a faster & bigger boat. She discovered instead an unpretentious guy with a liking for her cooking! After a wonderful meal, and the nautical cruise. we talked about the blessings of family. My lifelong commitment to be faithful and love her has brought with it a wonderful life. The years have passed so quickly, my experiences as a father have been rich. I was blessed first with a son, your dad, then a daughter, your aunt Jenny. I hope you will be so fortunate to have a daughter and a son. I will look forward to teaching you about fishing and art. But, now I must get back to the main character in this story, your great-great grandfather Marion Fisher.
Not too long after I fell in love with your grandmother, she invited me to join her family at the Lake of the Ozarks. I remember being a bit apprehensive because, I was afraid the family might not think I was good enough for her, because I was older than her and still not settled in a career with a secure monthly income. I can share with you now dear Samuel, that so many of the things we worry about do not come true and can really undermine our happiness and productivity. My worry in that time was foolish and even wrong because now, I see how God was providing so many things that I needed. I found a mother and father in law that encouraged me in every way and were absolutely wonderful grandparents and now dear friends. Today I can see how very fortunate I was when the sequel to my life was being written by God. Anyway, when I was invited by your grandmother Michelle to meet her family and spend a couple of wonderful days at the Lake of the Ozarks I was accepted and warmly welcomed. All of this occurred again when we met your mother’s wonderful loving family. in South Carolina. It is indeed a great blessing to experience these type of relationships and family that in spirit transcend all material concerns and put aside or do not get caught up in things that some times can divide families. The time when I traveled to be with the Able family at the Lake of the Ozarks was a wonderful experience. It was a special time and I experienced a family tradition, in the company of great people. One of the family members who made me feel comfortable right away was Michelle’s grandfather Marian Fisher. The first evening I was with them, I believe Marian and I went fishing. After We both had caught some fish we began to talk. I told him about my experiences as a construction worker and he shared some experiences about his days as an oil field worker in Oklahoma. I remember telling him I wanted to progress further in school and become a teacher. He nodded and did not say too much. I caught some fish and showed him some of my methods to catch fish. We seemed to become friends right away. Maybe it was a patience and a joy of teaching he observed in me, I am not entirely sure, or may be it was that we shared some experiences of working hard as laborers. Maybe it was the fact I was not inclined to put on false airs, yet also determined to improve my self that he discerned from our talk by the lake. He liked the things I taught him about my fishing technique, and he encouraged me by saying, he thought I would be a good teacher. I believe I said something about construction workers and wildcatters (oil field workers) making good money at times, but not knowing in winter or bad weather if they would find work. I expressed an interest (for a family reasons) to have a more secure monthly income. He smiled at me and nodded again!
I remember very well the last time your great-great grandfather made a trip to see his great grandson and fish with me. He came to a place where we lived by a lake, in a little town called Millersburg, we talked some more that day and he made quite an impression on me. He reminded me of my grandfather Eckels McKinney and Old Paul who I now enjoy as a fish’n buddy. Old Paul reminds me of Marion Fisher and Eckels McKinney in the ways these “salt of the earth” guys are never pretentious or self important, just good honest friends who like to fish and return friendship. I hope you will have my good fortunes to make such friends! Your great grandparents Rosemary (Marion’s) daughter and Albert Able your great grandfather just made a trip from Missouri to South Carolina to see you because they love you so much. It was a long drive for them and the trip, like the trip Marion made to see your dad, took special efforts. Their commitment to family especially a great-great grandson illustrates the spirit of our family!