No more thinking “back at” just forward, this is I woke up this morning.

Living in these Covid times makes us (or most of us) think twice how much we appreciate what we have around, with the most precious  being family and friends. But that is not all. It makes me think about how I spend my time…especially the little free time I have. Usually this “me time” is spent fishing, or researching new fishing spots or buying new fishing “toys”.

I am blessed enough to live in times of peace and have more stuff than I need and I also know that many of you can relate to this  too.

At the same time, I  have started thinking more about the future. I got to a point in my fisherman life when I have gathered so much information and experience that is not even fun anymore unless it is shared.

I share plenty when I am with friends on the water but most of them are like me, at an age when not too many things can change the way you think or analyze things around you.

So then I changed my attention to the new generation, to the future fishermen and fisherwomen. That is in fact what we should all consider.

The earlier in life they get to know about nature,  the better.

It is an easy way of looking at life itself, makes it easy for them to understand things and struggles in general. Like this one time when my daughter saw an insect on the water being eaten by a fish. Easy for me to explain that the bug made a mistake not staying on the ground in the grass where it was easy to live…the bug made a mistake and paid for it. 🙂 Sounds harsh but I believe it is effective to use these examples from nature as life advice.

I’ve held many fishing schools with kids and I was always surprised by how many things they know … in theory. All this new technology helps a lot of course. They see a lot of things on the TV and on their tablets but it is not the same like when actually get  their hands on things.

Another fun story from just a few days ago when I got a phone call from a young fellow whom  I used to teach during one of my fishing schools. That was years back when he was just a boy. I remember clearly how afraid he was  of the hooks, just because of an unfortunate little accident he had previously. I kept his hands firm and steady in casting as he was closing his eyes every time the fly line would pass forward. And I encouraged him all the time, showed him tricks he  could use, I kept his imagination up by showing him pictures from my adventures. I even managed to bring him in a fly competition as a team member, dragged him (and his father) on a few kilometers river stretch for the full sessions of the  Fly Fishing Championship day.

And now after more than 6 years he called me to let me now that he spent this summer as a fishing guide in the Far North. And he plans to do the same  the next summer. And he wanted to thank me and hopes to fish together one more time.

Needless to say how proud and blessed I felt that I made a tiny contribution in this boy’s fight to overcome his fears and follow his dream.

And with these stories that I share with you, all I want to say is that we need to focus on the NEW GENERATION.

Help them become stronger and better than us, teach them how to be resilient especially during these times!  The journey will make us  better and will unite us as a strong team  in Life’s fight.

Cheers,

Sotto