Proud Soul
My earliest memories were not that toy I got from “Toys “R” Us” that one day or not having the “cool” new thing. They were the experiences that stood out, you can close your eyes and go right back to it. For me, it was the early mornings rolling through the inlet on my fathers boat, or getting my first fly casting lesson in the gym after basketball practice. The smells, sounds and visuals are all very vivid to me today. As a kid you may not appreciate it in the moment but looking back those experiences were everything.
Parenthood. What a roller coaster, if you have kids you understand. Being a parent in 2022, even harder. The world is controlled by devices and it’s easy to get your kids stuck to a device. Trust me, I’ve fell victim to it. It is more important than ever to give your kids memorable experiences. Whether it’s getting them involved in something you love or just pushing them outside and saying go play. I fear for the next generation with little personable attention given, stuck to a screen and not given any valuable memories to shape and mold them.
These experiences we provide our youth also mold us as adults. I’m my world, the water is the what I pass on to my girls. This past summer has been a special one, I was able to bring my oldest daughter into my world and pass on my passion. We’ve watched rolling tarpon, gators checking out our skiff, dolphins, stopped at the beach for a swim and ultimately caught fish. These moments cannot be replaced.
One of my most proud dad moments happened last week. After a cancelled charter, I asked Mia if she wanted to go fishing. She lit up in joy and said “YES!” After spending a small fortune at the store stocking up on zebra cakes and candy, we pushed this skiff off. With a bucket of mud minnows locked and loaded, we ran down the intracoastal. Not complaining once in 5 hours of fishing, I was impressed. Mia was baiting her hooks, learned to cast a spinning rod, and cracking jokes all afternoon. Later in the afternoon Mia took the reins into her own hands. Sitting in her bean bag, rod in one hand, snack in the other; we watched our cork start moving. “Wait, wait, wait, reel!” A few moments later a fish with a spot on its tail is next to the boat and in our net. She did it, her first fish all on her own. She was happy, but you should have seen daddy. I will never forget that moment, either will she.
On our ride home, I held her hand looked her in the eye and told her how proud I was of her. I said “Mia I know you don’t get it at this point in your life, but this is something we will always share. Not every parent and child get these moments. I love you so much and I cannot wait to do this again.” She hugged up tight to me, and I teared up. What a day, my soul was so proud.
-Johnny
