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I needed to clear my head and get a change of venue. Out of the land of sage, juniper, and basically run away from “home”. It seems when there is a therapeutic calling it involves water. Something about it, whether it is a river, a lake, or the ocean. Maybe it is the Aquarius coming out. I think it is my inner steelhead that feels a pull to the ocean every now and again. It is time to smolt and leave the river.

 

The ocean holds a different therapy for me. Normally a river does the trick. But it seems over the years when I really need to clear my head and sort big stuff out the river doesn’t work. I think I end up battling it and myself. That is not why or how you should fish. When I go to the river there are inner expectations. Going to the work place isn’t always a break. I need to go in a good or at least medium mood. Not in the dumps. I start to fish against myself with something to prove or just the wrong mindset on what it is I am hoping to “catch”. I only focus on blown casts, put down or missed fish, tangles, any and every little thing that goes slightly wrong. Even if it doesn’t affect the fishing in the least.  Then I use those failures and expectation to whoop on myself. That is far from therapeutic. When I go to the ocean and sit on a surfboard and stare while trying tocatch a wave I don’t fight myself. I know I am not that good at it, but I enjoy it, and don’t expect much. I just be and take all the success and even minuet ones as a stoke or just sit and marinade staring west into a very big fish tank. It reminds me of when every fish big or small a beginner catches is a prize and a smile. As it should be. It is supposed to be fun. I feel a lot better after pumping some salt through the gills. Time to migrate to the river again.