Unloading the boat, I grab the rod that had been mine for the day and hold it out in front of me. I realize right then that I am supremely happy. Learning any new skill will have its moments of frustration, but for this feeling, the one I have right now, it’s worth it. Jim and Henry disappear with a nod to retrieve the trailer.
Alone again in the moonlight with my hand on the bow- line, I stand wondering what it will be like to feel the pull.