ZEN AND THE ART OF COARSE FISHING

SPENT ANOTHER LOVELY DAY ON THE CANAL, AND CAUGHT EIGHT FISH, ALMOST A BIBLICAL EFFORT!

SORRY ABOUT THE PHOTO MY PHONE ONLY TAKES SELFIES NOW, THE OTHER CAMERA STOPPED WORKING. SO ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE A PICTURE IN FOCUS AND ON TARGET.

THE BEAUTY OF FISHING, FOR SOMEONE WHO IS STILL STRUGGLING WITH GRIEF, IS THAT YOU HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON THE FLOAT. THIS LEVEL OF CONCENTRATION, STOPS YOU THINKING, SAME WAY AS PAINTING DOES. IT’S THE THINKING THAT MAKES YOU SAD. IN MY CASE, BECAUSE I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF, I KEEP GOING OVER AND OVER THE ACCIDENT, TRYING TO WORK OUT HOW I COULD STOP IT HAPPENING, SURVIVAL GUILT I SUPPOSE. IF ONLY I’D DONE THIS OR  THAT OR THE OTHER, SHE WOULD STILL BE HERE…

BUT IN THIS REALITY, YOU CANNOT WARP TIME, AND YOU CANNOT BRING THEM BACK, SO ALL THE THINKING IS FATUOUS AT BEST, AND IN TERMS OF YOUR SANITY…

THAT WAY LIES MADNESS!

SO IN ESSENCE, IF YOU ARE IN A STATE OF AWFUL GRIEF, THAT WON’T LEAVE YOU, I SUGGEST YOU DO SOMETHING WHICH FILLS YOUR CONSCIOUS THOUGHT, FISHING OR PAINTING WORKS FOR ME, BUT WHATEVER WORKS FOR YOU… AND THAT WAY YOU CAN SWITCH OFF THE GUILT TRIP FOR A WHILE, AND EVENTUALLY YOU LEARN TO SMILE AGAIN…. HOPEFULLY.

DALE ‘M’