Be it fresh water, salt water, drinking water, or rain, this I know to be true: Water makes me inexplicably happy.
It is impossible to separate humans and water: H2O is intrinsically linked to our very beings. Yes, we are composed of water and we must consume it in order to survive, but water is life-giving in more than a purely biological sense. Indeed, water is elemental to our very souls: It is purifying, restorative, and organic in a way that allows for rebirth each and every day.
Perhaps above all, water signifies a welcome change of perspective and a new canvas on which to reflect, re-center, and ground ourselves. On the water everything is quiet and still, and yet simultaneously—miraculously—it is also teeming with life and buzzing with vibrancy. Without fail, humans can retreat to water and simply just be. Devoid from the noise and demands of everyday life, water demands no prerequisites and casts no judgements: It simply offers itself up as an escape, a place to find greater clarity, purpose, and understanding.
Fishing magnifies the curative power of water and exponentially multiplies its healing effects. Casting a line into the lake, hearing that sonorous plunk, and patiently waiting as it drops to the bottom: In this moment the background noise dulls, your mind begins to quiet, and everything but the present fades away. When you’re fishing time simultaneously flies by and stands impossibly still, cradling you in the comfort of its grasp and releasing you from the external tensions that surround you.
Cam grew up fishing with his dad, Allen, on Lake Erie, and it is one of his favorite ways to sit back, relax, and watch the time slowly pass by. For Cam, fishing is synonymous with vacation and father-son bonding, and, no matter how busy his schedule gets he always prioritizes spending time with his dad on the water. Sometimes the guys talk, and often they don’t: It’s purely the simple act of being together, of living a common experience and breathing in the same fresh lake air that bonds them together and speaks volumes. Not long ago Allen invented a saying that has become famous within Cam’s family: “All days are good days. Fishing days are just better.” And it’s true: There’s something about spending a day on the lake with your line in the water that simply can’t be beat.
Chasing our own “better days,” Cam and I decided to hit the water and fish from the comfort of our kayaks. While we have kayaked dozens of times, neither of us had ever kayak fished before, and we eagerly anticipated this new twist on our classic summer staple. So, on a bright, sunny Friday after work we dusted off the fishing poles, packed up the tackle box, loaded the coolers, and set off to get hopelessly lost on the lake.
We cruised around for over an hour, enjoying the sound of our paddles cutting through the crisp, clear water and exploring the various pockets the lake has to offer. Once we sufficiently wore ourselves out and craved a change of pace, we reached back for our equipment and readied ourselves for a kayak fishing adventure. Cam readied our poles, and in no time at all we had our paddles securely fastened, beers cracked, and lines in water. Feet up and cares behind us, we let our boats drift whichever way the wind carried us, basking in the powerfully transformative effect of this inherently simple activity.
Legendary country music singer Trace Adkins epitomizes this subtle yet metamorphic magic. His song, “Just Fishin,’” captures the hidden beauty of spending time with his daughter on the water as they seemingly engage in a simple activity and yet make memories that will last a lifetime. Adkins revels in the power of these moments and sings:
“And she thinks we’re just
fishin’ on the riverside
Throwin’ back what we could fry
Drownin’ worms and killin’ time
Nothin’ too ambitious.
She ain’t even thinkin’ ’bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’.”
Drowning worms and killing time. Doesn’t seem too ambitious, right? And yet the effects of this time spent together on the water are utterly transformative.
Cam and I have a little sign that sits on the entry table in our hallway and reminds me of a simple, compelling truth: The lake fixes everything. Before we moved to Minnesota, I’m not sure I fully embraced just how accurate this sentiment is. Over these past two years the lake—or water in general, for that matter—has been a thing of beauty, a meeting point to connect with friends, a playground for physical activity, and place of respite and restoration. Sometimes it has even been all these things at once. Hardly a week goes by where Cam and I don’t turn to each other and ask “want to go to the lake?” Whether we decide to run, walk, fish, kayak, or picnic, we know the water is always exactly what we need.
“All days are good days. Fishing days are just better.”
The beauty of this sentiment lies in its simplicity. All days are inherently good: Even our bad days are powerfully positive, for if nothing else we are here, we are breathing, and we are alive. And, while all days carry the natural promise of goodness and potential, it is up to us to find ways to make them even better. For me, this involves being in nature and enjoying the water. For Cam, it’s fishing.
Regardless of what it is that ultimately makes your day better, find the thing that gives you joy and pursue it unapologetically. When we do this, we anchor ourselves to the present and challenge ourselves to slow down. Suddenly, the water expands before us, the sky becomes a more brilliant shade of “sky blue,” and our days—which are already precious and inherently good—become even better.
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