Northwest Reel Life January - February 2024 Volume 3 Issue 4 - Flipbook - Page 28
all the other things you’d
expect to visit about. It was
a fishing trip I’ll remember
fondly because of the
time with a valued friend
and the opportunity for
breathtaking views. It was
also memorable due to a
trailer tire popping and me
driving on the axle for who
knows how many miles, but
that’s a story for a different
time.
Let’s not mistake the vivid
memories from our time
appreciating the tranquility
of the outdoors as more
meaningful than the
opportunities outside we
capitalize on through the
routine of our lives.
For me, those instances
take shape in the form of an
activity as easy as walking
my dog. He’s a hunting
dog by trade and at 7 years
old is still full of energy
and prey drive. Tracking
anything and everything is
still a large part of his world,
even if the hunting season
is a few short months.
28 | NWFISHING.net
Those other 9 months of
the year he’s relegated to
leashed walks around the
hardware store or some
off-leash trails and parks
around town. Taking the
dog out for a walk is not
unique or special. Perhaps
you reading this have a dog
yourself. You probably do
the same routine part of
your day as I do mine. Get
up, go to work, come home,
spend time with your
family, and take the dog
on an evening walk. Rinse,
repeat. I would challenge
you to be present in those
moments outside if you
aren’t already. I’m guilty
of putting on a podcast
during a walk or listening
to music like anybody
else. But I’ve tried to make
a habit of putting these
things aside if I’ve got the
opportunity. A leashed walk
down the street?
Fine, music’s not a big deal
provided you’re on the
sidewalk. The hardware
store? Well, we’re here
buying stuff so it’s not
much of an outing for the
dog, but it is a chance for
socialization and to break
up his day. What about a
hike on a trail or a stroll on
some public land? Those
are the outings I try to
be cognizant of. Quiet. A
passing hello to another
person briefly, and then
back to isolation. Although
built into the day-to-day of
everyday life, something as
simple as a walk with the
dog can bring a calmness
and recognition for
everything we experience
beyond our home’s front
door or the office. Why
drown out the peaceful
silence when in that
moment?
