Releasing the Soul
The old man was lying in the bed, gasping for his last few breaths of life. His entire family was at his side, except his oldest son Robert, who was out on the lake fishing. His bed was in front of the window overlooking the water. He watched Robert fish. Robert had spent most of his free time, right here on the lake fishing with his dad. He couldn't bear the pain of his best friend dying. The family was angry with Robert for not staying at his fathers bedside with them. What they didn't know, was An hour earlier, Robert's dad asked him to do him one last favor. Get in the boat and go out on the lake and fish, so I can watch one last time. Robert looked at his dad, gave him a hug and kiss and left the house. He rowed faster than ever to get to the best spot where he knew his father could have the best view. His eyes were red and his cheeks stained with tears. Robert looked toward the window, his heart being wrenched from his chest, and anchored the boat parallel with the house so his dad could see him clearly. He baited the hook and cast the line out. There was a small splash, as the bait and the small weights, hit the water, and began to sink. Robert looked toward the window. He wanted his dad to pass from this life to the next, happy and in peace. Fishing had always been his favorite of all things, and doing it with Robert was even better. Robert had the pole in his hand when suddenly he felt a bite. It was a really good tug. His dad saw the pole bend from his bed, and his eyes got wide in anticipation. He inclined his head ever so slightly in excitement. Robert gave the pole a healthy jerk upward setting the hook. The pole bent in half. Robert knew immediately it was big. He hoped his dad was still with him. Robert began to reel. The pole was bent hard and barely bouncing. This fish was strong. As he reeled, the fish pulled harder and the drag went zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Slowly Robert tightened the drag and kept reeling. The fish seemed like it was coming in, but the water was deep, and so was the fish. It was going under the boat. Robert stood up and held the pole high and out over the side of the boat. He worried about getting tangled on the anchor line and losing it. He remembered in that moment, every thing his dad ever taught him about fishing. He reeled and reeled and the fish ran and pulled even harder. After about ten minutes, Robert had the fish near the surface. He wanted desperately to get it into the boat so he could hold it up for his dad to see. It was a huge brown trout. It was the biggest Robert had ever seen in his life. Then with a flip of it's tail, it darted back down into the depts. The fish was pulling the drag again, only this time even faster. Robert continued to fight the fish. He again looked toward the window, hoping his dad was still with him. His dad was watching intently and now the entire family was too. Slowly the fish began to tire. Robert was reeling and gaining ground on the fish. It took another five minutes or so to get the fish to the surface and to the side of the boat. Robert sat back down still holding the pole high. He reached for the net. It wasn't there. In his painful hurry to the water, he had forgotten it. Robert had always used a net. His father however, many times had just reached in and lifted fish out by the gill. Robert put his hand into the water and put two fingers under it's gill and lifted it into the boat. It was heavy. It felt to Robert about forty pounds.He removed the hook, and then stood up straight, directly facing the window for his dad to see. After a minute or so, Robert lowered the fish with both hands into the water. He held it for a few seconds and then released him back into the wild. The old man set his head back on the pillow, and with his last breath, said good job son. Robert again looked toward the window. A sudden gust of wind blew hard over the boat. The hair on the back of his neck stood straight up, goosebumps on his arms, and a chill ran through his being. He knew in that second it was over. Robert sat back down in the boat, put his face in his hands and said goodbye, and cried. Robert now fishes with his son. He teaches him all he can.
Thanks to Donald P Byrd for the picture and inspiration.
The old man was lying in the bed, gasping for his last few breaths of life. His entire family was at his side, except his oldest son Robert, who was out on the lake fishing. His bed was in front of the window overlooking the water. He watched Robert fish. Robert had spent most of his free time, right here on the lake fishing with his dad. He couldn't bear the pain of his best friend dying. The family was angry with Robert for not staying at his fathers bedside with them. What they didn't know, was An hour earlier, Robert's dad asked him to do him one last favor. Get in the boat and go out on the lake and fish, so I can watch one last time. Robert looked at his dad, gave him a hug and kiss and left the house. He rowed faster than ever to get to the best spot where he knew his father could have the best view. His eyes were red and his cheeks stained with tears. Robert looked toward the window, his heart being wrenched from his chest, and anchored the boat parallel with the house so his dad could see him clearly. He baited the hook and cast the line out. There was a small splash, as the bait and the small weights, hit the water, and began to sink. Robert looked toward the window. He wanted his dad to pass from this life to the next, happy and in peace. Fishing had always been his favorite of all things, and doing it with Robert was even better. Robert had the pole in his hand when suddenly he felt a bite. It was a really good tug. His dad saw the pole bend from his bed, and his eyes got wide in anticipation. He inclined his head ever so slightly in excitement. Robert gave the pole a healthy jerk upward setting the hook. The pole bent in half. Robert knew immediately it was big. He hoped his dad was still with him. Robert began to reel. The pole was bent hard and barely bouncing. This fish was strong. As he reeled, the fish pulled harder and the drag went zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Slowly Robert tightened the drag and kept reeling. The fish seemed like it was coming in, but the water was deep, and so was the fish. It was going under the boat. Robert stood up and held the pole high and out over the side of the boat. He worried about getting tangled on the anchor line and losing it. He remembered in that moment, every thing his dad ever taught him about fishing. He reeled and reeled and the fish ran and pulled even harder. After about ten minutes, Robert had the fish near the surface. He wanted desperately to get it into the boat so he could hold it up for his dad to see. It was a huge brown trout. It was the biggest Robert had ever seen in his life. Then with a flip of it's tail, it darted back down into the depts. The fish was pulling the drag again, only this time even faster. Robert continued to fight the fish. He again looked toward the window, hoping his dad was still with him. His dad was watching intently and now the entire family was too. Slowly the fish began to tire. Robert was reeling and gaining ground on the fish. It took another five minutes or so to get the fish to the surface and to the side of the boat. Robert sat back down still holding the pole high. He reached for the net. It wasn't there. In his painful hurry to the water, he had forgotten it. Robert had always used a net. His father however, many times had just reached in and lifted fish out by the gill. Robert put his hand into the water and put two fingers under it's gill and lifted it into the boat. It was heavy. It felt to Robert about forty pounds.He removed the hook, and then stood up straight, directly facing the window for his dad to see. After a minute or so, Robert lowered the fish with both hands into the water. He held it for a few seconds and then released him back into the wild. The old man set his head back on the pillow, and with his last breath, said good job son. Robert again looked toward the window. A sudden gust of wind blew hard over the boat. The hair on the back of his neck stood straight up, goosebumps on his arms, and a chill ran through his being. He knew in that second it was over. Robert sat back down in the boat, put his face in his hands and said goodbye, and cried. Robert now fishes with his son. He teaches him all he can.
Thanks to Donald P Byrd for the picture and inspiration.