I walked down the Bogue Inlet Pier on Emerald Isle, NC viewing how other fishermen were doing. Were they sitting idle waiting for the next big bite on their line or were they actively pulling in a fish and if so, how big was their catch. I was seeking confirmation that others were catching as many fish as we were and was mentally comparing our success against theirs.
It’s what fishermen sometimes do. Observe, compare, and learn.
How big the fish was, what kind of fish was it, what bait was used, how far out were they casting, where were they casting, and a variety of other quick thoughts ran through my head. Their attitudes were also noted as a sign of their success…were they packing their gear up, were they reflective, were they discouraged, were they excited, were they social (chatting with others around them).
So, imagine my surprise when I saw an empty bench with fishing tackle gear and a cooler. I looked around but no one was anywhere near it. And I realized, though the rods were not there, it showed a feature of fishing.
A sign of Trust.
Maybe they had a tracking chip in their bags, maybe not. Just leaving their gear while they went off somewhere showed a level of trust that is missing in other areas of our lives.
And it was not a solo act. Others too had left their gear to wander up and down the pier, or perhaps to go to the quick store or restroom, trusting that no one would walk away with what they had left behind.
In today’s drama-tainment news arena, it was refreshing to see this. It was a hopeful sign that not all had bought into the paranoid hysteria of social media.
And it allowed me to take a deep, relaxing breath. To mentally go “Ah…” and let go.
To give trust a chance…if only in that moment and environment.
To the owner(s) of the gear and cooler, thanks and a wish for a great fishing trip.