Dawn of a New Day

Leaving the comforts of the warm, sleepy cottage in the quickly dissipating post dawn light, I wander to the arbor with coffee in hand where in mere hours I will marry the lady of my dreams.

As the sun slowly approaches greeting me like a brother with a warm embrace, I thank my Creator for yet another blessing that is this day.  Reluctantly but willingly the last of night is consumed by the warm, golden glow that is to become this glorious day.

As the Dawn Sun Breaks…

Suddenly, all of Nature begins to stir as if newly born and unsure of her purpose.  I am completely at peace and know in my heart this is Heaven.

Wiping the moisture from my cheek I head to the lobby where Chap will be waiting.  At almost eight, my cell phone rings, its Charlie and he is waiting! 

Loaded into Charlie’s Dodge Charger, a quick stop at the store for Chaps fishing license and we are on our way.  Yup, it’s Cane Creek without hesitation and by nine am and after a quick micky d’s breakfast we are streamside…just like old times!

Sweet little run…

Cane Creek, though a delayed harvest is no push over.  Teaming with fish some educated and some soon to be schooled, we caught more than our share.  No deep discussions, not much of idle chatter each of us understood what this trip was really about.  It was a big

Chap’s Bull Brookie

day for all of us. 

This fishing trip albeit short, was an ending of an era and the beginning of a new one.  All three of us older, our paths taking us further apart physically from one another, each of us remembering what our time together always was, silently promising what it always will be.

Just as we always had, we begin fishing together and after Charlie catches the first trout, we somehow feel safe to fish apart now that the skunk is out of the air (angling term describing the lull in catching until the first fish is landed).  No matter how far apart we stray from each other, we always seem to know when it is time to find each other…even without clocks.

As I approached the parking lot, Chap greets me at the little white bridge.  “recken it’s about that time” Chap says with that tone of a loving older brother getting ready to lead me through my right of passage.

On the ride back to the inn, I am feeling neither nervous or anxious…I am feeling a total peace and comfort.  The conversation is a meandering stream of life updates, reminiscence and fly fishing shop talk.  Nothing hurried and every word welcomed…these are my people, they are my rock.

My River Brother