Recently my family and I had the opportunity to spend a day on the Ocklawaha River. We loaded up the pontoon boat with fishing rods and tackle, lunch fixin to graze through and the family.

We launched the boat at the ramp and started to cruise down the river. I’m sitting in my usual seat, the front chair of the pontoon boat. The wind is blowing through my hair, the sun is shinning on my face, and the water is gurgling along side, it’s a happy day.

I love water. I was born under the sign of pisces, if you believe in that sort of thing. And although I don’t put much stock in the horoscope business, I must admit that I am at my happiest when I’m around water. You can ask my husband, I can get down right cranky if I don’t get to a lake or ocean ever so often. When that happens, he knows to go dunk me in somewhere in the closest watering hole to keep peace in the family.

Cruising down the Ocklawaha River

Cruising down the Ocklawaha River

As we’re cruising along, we met another boat travel towards us. It’s a young couple with a small child cinched up tight in a life jacket. The couple waves as we pass each other. We raise our hands in mutual greeting, as is the custom, and it strikes me that I cant think of another place where you get such friendliness with total strangers anymore. I wonder where this unspoken tradition comes from. Sadly, it probably used to be that way everywhere. Walking along your neighborhood or perhaps on a busy sidewalk, you’d pass an unfamiliar face and say hello. But today it seems, we don’t have time for a smile and wave. We’re all too busy getting where we’re going to be bothered with friendliness. We’ve got a schedule, places to be, people to see. When did we get so busy that we forgot to be a neighbor to our neighbor?

It’s nice to see we haven’t lost that bond on the water. Maybe because it’s such a relaxing place. If you’re spending the day out on the water, you just feel better. Things are slower. Perhaps we can slip into a “nicer” version of ourselves.

By the end of the day, we had caught a few fish, laughed often and enjoyed the company of family. Part of me regretted having to head back in. It was so tranquil, so peaceful out among the cypress trees and lilly-pads, that it was easy to let go of the stress of every day life. I feared that once among the concrete, calendars and chores, I would loose my peace. I guess that’s up to me. I can choose to keep my peace and cherish the memories of a great day. I can also choose to take the river’s peacefulness and traditions with me… smile at a stranger, even take a chance and say, “Have a great day!” Who knows, fishing just might make the world a better place.