Why Bother

I've come to dread nights. The woods are a retreat, an amazing escape from the hum drum of city life. I always hear people say the fresh air is fantastic, but I've never really understood that. Its the scenery that overwhelms me, takes my breath, and further endorses my belief in God. I wrote in my journal several years ago about the preparation and experience of camping: packing, planning, fighting mosquitoes (literally), and laying in a tent for 15 hours while rain pounds your tiny world, wind refuses to let you sleep, and every noise brings the word bear to mind.

I was worried that Mikayla (because of her gene pool) might experience the same night anxiety and thus add another crux to Nicks already sleepless camping nights. Nichole and I took the little sweetie to Taylors Fork campground in the Uintas last weekend, and she proved to be her mothers daughter, sleeping all night without even a twitch. I think she was dreaming of flies lightly brushing the surface of a calm lake, enticing fat trout to eat.

I came to the same conclusion after last weekend that I did years ago. Its the quite moments of solitude that sustain me, keep me coming back for more sleepless nights; fly-fishing until my arm is ready to fall off, gazing off into the woods as if entranced, enjoying and soaking in everything..... waiting for Mikaylas dream to come true.