Like a Stream

Like a stream, life is always moving.
And yet, the moments most worth remembering
are the ones when I slowed
down. The ones I gave to the people
around me. So, this is the year I choose
to live intentionally, as if my days are
numbered. This is the year I ask myself,
‘how can I share with someone each
day and make a difference?’

I have been given the gift of some time. We all have, though most not as much as we would like. As Gandalf tells Frodo in the Lord of the Rings, “all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us”.

I love to run, ride horses, ride bikes and hike mountains. I love to climb rocks and paddle rivers and explore off the maps. I want to travel and try new things and jump out of bed each morning seeking the sunrise. In the huge wide wonder of creation there is so much to discover and experience, it can be overwhelming. At the end of the day, if I haven’t connected with the heart next to mine, is it lasting? Is it anything eternal? Or is it just time on the playground? Recess.

What’s time to a bird? When I first started birding it was hard to take my time and walk slow until I realized that I wouldn’t see, hear or notice anything without stopping first to actually look, listen and focus. Birding is something you can’t do while you are trying to do two or three other things at the same time. If you stop walking, talking, thinking and doing for just a few moments, you can be rewarded by a glorious gift as you become aware of the treasures around you.

So, this is the year that I try to remember what lasts and how to connect with people in a more intentional way. It can be through doing all the things I love to do, but sometimes it means slowing down a little, changing my route, or waiting until the next day. Because what really matters is that which doesn’t fade, and that means heart connections.

Alex Quick, Fly Fishing Manager