Fishing Trip with Dad

My Girlfriend and I took my father fishing for father’s day this year. I live with my father and battle the day to day struggles of codependency with him. But none-the-less it was a great day together and he enjoyed it enormously. For the previous week I had been thoroughly researching and planning for this day. Fishing spots, tackle, bait shops, lunch, and an in depth list of supplies.

We reached the lake early that morning and found us a cozy spot on the shore of Lake Independence. (Maple Plain, Minnesota) We settled down with our gear in hand and though the fish turn out was not what I expected, the company was just right. For one day we could escape the daily grind and compulsive behaviors. The one thing I can say about my father these days is that he can really settle into silent meditation.

Though I know I will never truly know what is on his mind he looked very content that day staring off into the calm slap of the waves. Eventually we had decided that we wanted to hit the fish a little hard and we decided to join the locals out on the pier. My dad has never been one to fish next to people on a dock, but today he was content. After a few hours, a massive fish was on my line and though I lost it in the struggle to bring it to the dock my dad talked of the excitement for weeks. Even today, a couple months later, he wants to return to Independence to try for “the one that got away.”

Through my growth as a codependent I have found that it really is the little things that make a person happy. For all the times I have refused to give him money or help him out when I know it leads back to the gambling, all it took was a well planned trip to make it all up to him. Hard work and togetherness says so much more than a 5 or 10 dollar bill here and there. I won’t forget that day, thanks God.

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