Vacation and Perspective

These past two weeks, there has been so much weighing on me – personally and professionally. Anxiety has ruled the day, and while I’ve battled hard to maintain my composure, I’ve really been pushed. Thus, this week’s vacation at Leech Lake couldn’t have come at a better time.

And how did day one start? First, I was awakened by my nephew at just before six AM. He had come to our cabin, looking for bait. I set him up and crawled back into bed for some additional and much-needed shut eye, when I caught that awful feeling that one is being watched. I cracked an eye open, and sure enough my little nephew is standing there. “Uncle Mikey, are you awake? I caught a MONSTER!” Of course this was nothing I could sleep through so I get dressed quick and go see what’s been landed. Indeed, the little guy caught a nice keeper sunny. Figuring that my sleeping time is over and there might be additional fish to be caught, I placed the keeper on a stringer and went to grab a pole of my own.

We sat on the landing, fishing together, talking, and practicing our pirate voices (“Arrg, pass me another bait grub arrg…”). Since I’m old, I eventually got the hankering for a cup of coffee, so I left my nephew up to his own devices, made a pot of joe, and fed the dog. About this time my two nieces arrived, so together we walked the dog, picked up poop, and then came inside for some fresh cherries. This eventually degenerated into a pit-spitting contest, and how we didn’t wake the rest of the cabin up with our laughing and carrying on is beyond me.

All of this happened day one of my vacation, all before 7:00 AM.

It kind of puts things into perspective.

Can’t wait to see what the rest of vacation will bring.