How can you retreat without running away? As a pastor, this is a question that I regularly think about; for those who come to me for counsel and for myself.
What do I mean, and how does fly fishing fit in?
First, it is important to define retreat. There are times when it is very important to get a change of scenery. That can happen by stepping out onto the back porch. That can happen by opening a book. That can happen by backpacking across Europe. Such retreats have the real potential to be a significant refresh for body and soul.
Fly fishing obviously fits the bill. The tranquility of nature and the rhythm of the cast pulls the angler into a different realm. The challenge and the exertion have benefits, too. That is to say, technical spring creek trout or bonefish on the flats are certainly retreats from the everyday.
Whether you’re coming from the board room or from the assembly line, from plenty or from want: fly fishing is a retreat. It gives you a literal and figurative breath of fresh air. It gives you want you need to face what comes Monday, what comes tomorrow, what comes next.
But when you run your line through your guides are you running away?
Running away is different from retreating. There is a haphazard evasion opposed to a purposeful falling back. It looks like “drop and flee” instead of “pause and reorganize.”
One is helpful and healthy. The other is not.
Where do I usually land and how do I usually advise people? Plan to retreat. Never run away.
An hour or a day on the river won’t fix anything. Moving to a remote corner of Alaska won’t fix anything. It delays the inevitable. It puts an outdoors-shaped band-aid over a wound. But a quick trip or a long weekend might be what is needed to clear your mind, plan your next steps, and be prepared to do what it takes to get back at it.
As people, we’re inevitably going to face the most difficult things imaginable. Financial woes, broken relationships, identity crises, and even mortality itself. Allow creation to give you respite. But know that you are wading in a valley, maybe even the valley of the shadow of death. Whether it be on the water, on the drive home, or after a warm shower at the end of the day, use your time and use it wisely. Don’t let the moment escape. Don’t run away.