The Bible tells us there is a season for everything; a time to plant and a time to reap; a time to be born and a time to die.
Here in our beloved South, as in all other places, the calendar says that we have four seasons of the year.
In the spring we plant our gardens and mow our grass. If you like to fish and have time, spring is a good time to wet a hook.
Summers in the South are usually hot and muggy. This is a good time to go swimming or sit under a shade tree and enjoy a cold glass of iced tea.
Our fall season is when the green leaves change color and then fall off. This is a time of harvest for our farmers and a time to enjoy the wonderful fellowship at our many fall festivals.
Winters in the South are usually mild, but on occasion, there will be some snow and ice. It’s during this time of the year that most hunters head to the woods to pursue their favorite game. Other folks just might be glued to their televisions watching all of the football games.
Being an avid outdoorsman, I’ve always enjoyed hunting and fishing. There is just something about being on a lake or traipsing through the woods that helps make my life worth living.
This past year was probably the worst year that our generation has ever had to endure. I know for myself it was one for the record books. Even though I had to have my gallbladder removed in June of last year, it was nothing compared to what many others went through.
As we went through these tough times, and are still going through this year, we need to find something positive to do in our lives. For me, to relieve stress and get some exercise, I enjoy hunting and fishing. As I get older, I can’t seem to do all the things I would like to do. My mind seems willing, but my body tells me, “You will pay for this.”
Once, I used to walk up and down the river hills after a good squirrel dog, but now I get the same enjoyment by sitting on a stump, listening to my friend’s beagles run a rabbit. Why, I’ve been all over the Pee Dee River trying to catch as many fish as the law allowed, but now I find great pleasure just watching my grandkids wet a hook.
Seems when I was younger I thought that if’n I didn’t kill the limit of game or catch a cooler full of fish that I had had a bad day. As I get older, the very life of anything is more precious than just numbers or feathers in my hat. Now don’t get me wrong, for I still enjoy eating a few rabbits or a mess of fried fish during the year, but please don’t take home more than you can use.
I am so blessed to have good friends with beagles to invite me along to rabbit hunt. Why, I even had a friend invite me along on a pheasant shoot this past year, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
As far as my fishing goes, I have three boats, none of which I put in the water last year. Seems I had them all ready to go, but something always seemed to hold me back. Why, I bet I’ve got 50 rod and reels full of new line, but most of them never seem to get used.
My fishing this past year mostly consisted of taking my grandkids down to our pond. On one occasion, it was just me and my youngest granddaughter doing the fishing. Why, she started catching more fish than you could shake a stick at. I finally just put my rod down and just started baiting her hook and taking off her fish.
I asked her, “How is it that you are catching so many fish?”
Her reply was, “I don’t know, but hurry up and take this fish off so I can catch another one!”
You know, we threw all those fish back, but we had the time of our lives fishing together that day.
So, as our spring season rolls around this year, I’ll be putting my guns and hunting apparel away. But then I’ll do as I have done for umpteen years — get my boats ready and re-spool my rod and reels for another year.
For every season there is a reason. The biggest reason is to thank our Lord and Savior for allowing us to enjoy another season of our lives.
J.A. Bolton is author of “Just Passing Time,” co-author of “Just Passing Time Together,” and just released his new book “Southern Fried: Down-Home Stories,” all of which can be purchased on Amazon. Contact him at ja@jabolton.com.
