Gifts that Keep On Giving

My immediate family isn't too beholden to tradition; about as close as we get is a semi-required annual viewing of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  In this holiday classic, Cousin Eddie was sincere with this reminder to Clark regarding his subscription to the Jelly-of-the-Month Club; "It's the gift that keeps on giving!"  What could be better than that?

Cousin Eddie- from the web!

My home and life are filled with such gifts, and I just want to remind all that you never know when that small item of appreciation can grow into something really important to the recipient.  A few that come immediately to mind are a Grouper-head vase and a "Bathtub Angler" sailfish picture from my brother; and a modest sculpture of a fisherman, bank fishing from the rocks, but captured forever in the very moment of snapping his line while fighting a fish.  (Thank you, Mom.  And while I was initially bummed when the line first snapped, I think with time this has enhanced the sculpture's dynamics and meaning to me.). There are many others; and as I review these in my mind, I realize that much of the "art" collected in my home pertains to these gifts.  Once again, thanks for these gifts that keep on giving!

Much of my outdoor gear falls into the Perpetually Giving Gift Category, too.  That includes a fair portion of the stuff that I have coveted, but wouldn't purchase for myself.  Just this past year I can recall the addition of my StormR neoprene jacket and Bogs muck boots to my arsenal of outerwear; these became instant classics!  I look forward to many more adventures in these.

Back in 1980 my Dad gave me one of the most influential gifts ever when he provided unlimited access to a new Bass Tracker III.  I was no longer stuck on shore or limited to smaller waters and paddle power.  While we probably could have done a little better with our catching, I was then able to expand my experience and techniques; and we ran into a few hawg bass, pickerel and panfish.  We travelled a bit and this all fueled my fishing dreams.  When I arrived in Michigan, I had a solid foundation for bass fishing, but I knew there were other fish to be caught.  I've been building on that foundation since.

One the more recent,  meaningful gifts was an unexpected replacement pole.  On a beautiful July day, young K was battling, and had almost bested, what would have been the largest salmon in a few seasons.  Near the boat at last, the salmon panicked and took one last run.  The rod torqued in K's hands and the braided line burned his thumb pretty well.  This was, literally, a blistering run!  K's natural reaction was to release his grip, and I helplessly watched the salmon and my gear swim off behind the boat.  After an awkward silence, we re-set lines with determination to put this event behind us; and shortly there-after K's dad landed the season's best salmon.  The trip was  a success.  Losing gear is part of the game, and we had a pretty good story to go along with our day.  But I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised to later receive a gift card from K and his dad; this gift substantially subsidized an improved replacement set-up; and I can't use, see or think of this setup without thinking of the fish, the day, the story, or our friendship.  Thanks, guys.

You should have seen the one that got away!

But I'd really like to think I'm not a "thing" guy.  The stuff isn't as important as what you do with it.  And so the particular gift of which I've been thinking is "The Trip."  I'd hit rock bottom in 2009 when I fell in the driveway a month after back surgery.  My family recognized my need to get away from our Michigan Winter, at least temporarily, and so for Christmas, they arranged a trip for me;  airfare, a place to stay, three days of guided fishing, cleared work and family schedules, and even a fishing companion to share it with.

Double digit seas were no problem for Reel Busy out of Stuart.  

3 for 6 on sailfish, when most other boats wouldn't even try!

The sailfishing was grand, the kings were awesome, and we did have one day of comfortable conditions; but mostly I've held onto memories of surf fishing in big seas and freezing conditions on an abandoned beach.  It was, after all, the best blue-fishing I've ever stumbled upon.

Things have simply just gotten better since that fall on the ice.  I can't thank my girls enough for recognizing (and acting on!) my needs.  They're better at that than I am, for sure, but I'm learning!   And so they are accommodating my current employment situation, which entails a fair amount of (selfish) time away from home.  But it's helping to finance my future adventures, because they've taught me that you can turn day-dreams into reality.

This was supposed to be about little things; maybe simply my Tilley, a hot-spot and a thermos.  But little things add up, and I clearly have little control over where these entries go.  As we enter the peak of our holiday season, let's simply remember that little things do make a difference, and these things, tangible or not, are best shared with others.