Several months ago, a group of women from my PD support group approached me with an opportunity. How about a fishing trip? That was not on my bucket list and I had never wanted to fish. However, the opportunity to spend time with a special group of people was something I could never pass up. “I’m in.” It turned out to be one of the best experiences for me and, I think, for all of us.
Nine women and one man (yep) piled into a van and drove 7 hours to a fishing lodge on the San Juan river in Northern New Mexico. Only two had fished before, most of didn’t know what to expect. The biggest concern, and hottest topic, was how to survive without toilets along the river. It worked out.
We were told this was one of the top places to fish for trout – rainbow and brown. Catch and release so we couldn’t enjoy the fruits of our labor. No worries. It turns out reeling in a ‘big one’ and letting it go is a lot of fun. Time flew by. We met some of the most patient guides who seemed thrilled to be spending three days with a group of women. They held the fish for my pictures. I wasn’t going to touch them!
Of course, this trip wasn’t really about the fishing although all of us caught a bunch and learned to appreciate the beauty of the river and surroundings. This was about getting away, leaving our worries behind and, mostly, friendship and love. We laughed the whole time. We had a blast in the evenings sharing stories and joking around. This is a group of friends who support each other and will always be there for each other. No topic is off limits. No one is judging. Every feeling is valid. It’s hard to find but when you do, you feel blessed.
It just so happens that the Torah (Jewish bible) portion for this week included a verse that appropriately captured the emotions from the trip. It can be summarized as follows: Blessings cannot catch up with us when we are constantly running after success in life. Perhaps we need to slow down and let the good things in life catchup with us. Amen.
The point? Spending time with friends, supporting each other, shared experiences is what life is about. Slow down and enjoy the good things in life with your besties.
Oh, and the West rocks!
I’d like to hear from you. Please leave comments below.
Hi Sheryl
I loved the whole trip –though I have gone” fishing ” ,many times I mostly took a book while the guys fish talked .
This trip with 1 guide per 2 women was perfect—personal attention and no guy jokes-MBH
What talent! I’m in awe how each of you are so creative and expressive!
That was great Sheryl, you said everything I was feeling.
And to think I took that picture!
What talent! I’m in awe how each of you is so creative and expressive!
That was great Sheryl, you said everything I was feeling.
And to think I took that picture!
You captured how I believe we all felt! What a unique experience to be in such a beautiful place , surrounded by nature and sharing that experience with people I am so honored to have met and who have become my new family.👍😍🦈
This was great. Enjoyed reading it