The lakes area gets to be busy during the summer. It is very evident this weekend, of course, with the extremely large gathering for WE Fest.
But, if you look at the schedule we have every year, from July to the start of school, we are busy.
We jump from the 4th of July to the water carnival, right into the county fair, then WE Fest, followed the next week by the long standing Pine to Palm tournament.
This activity in the area, along with the demands of jobs, family, church, community, vacations, and summer sports leagues, keeps people busy.
Even though these activities are fun and exciting, they are sometimes not all that relaxing.
It is important to make time for calm, quiet, and relaxation. Some find this important disengagement in activities like walking, yoga, meditation, reading, painting or art, solitaire, or wine tasting.
Everyone needs to escape in some way. I have never met anybody that doesn’t get that feeling of the important calmed “state of being” with a ride in a boat or pontoon.
A boat ride washes away all the worries in the world. Fishing takes the healing power of being on the water to an even deeper level for some of us.
I am not the only one that is amazed at the fact that more don’t take advantage of what nature has to offer when it comes to our area lakes.
Almost everyone around the lakes has a boat or pontoon, but many times the only boats (except a few, and usually the same people) that are on the lake, were trailered to the lake.
Like many things, sometimes it is easy to take for granted what is easy or accessible for us. It is easy to make excuses because we are so busy and plan to “go tomorrow.”
A boat ride, or a couple hours fishing reminds us why we need to do this for ourselves, and our family, more often.
I end up with many customers in my boat that realize that they have let life interfere with life, and get reminded why it is important to even schedule time on the water into their life.
Once school starts, along with fall sports, fall projects, and winter preparations, we all have another different kind of busy.
Fall hunting takes the place for some as the quiet retreat, but it is still hard to beat what time on the water can do for helping with maintaining our peace of mind.
We all need it this year with the crazy election stuff, terrible violence around the country and the world, and bizarre weather events.
I suggest for everyone’s sanity, and especially our own, we make commitments to spend some time on the water the rest of this summer and fall. I am sure I will hold up to that commitment.
As busy as everyone seems to be, there is a group of people that find time to volunteer. Many volunteer in many areas, but I am impressed by the group of volunteers that keep the “Let’s Go Fishing” pontoon active.
They are making a difference every day they are on the water with the groups of people they take out — the elderly, veterans, and the boys and girls club groups.
This is a group of people that sacrifice some of their time to others and bring joy and peace to those that can‘t get time on the water, or have the opportunity to fish without the help of others. Thank you for what you do.