Is Fishing Really That Deep?

Kathleen O’Bryant of Mahogany Youth Corporation is to thank for this week’s #wordblog. She is a tireless advocate for youth with her husband Robert O’Bryant.

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When I looked up the etymology of the word fish, I was startled to find a website completed devoted to the etymology of species of fish, that there are so many species of fish, two scientists devoted valuable web real estate to it.

They derived their names not only from their location but by the types of fins they have, and sometimes they are named by whomever discovered them. In fact, the waters that you visit will determine the kind of fish you find.

I kept looking, and I found that the word “fish” used to be synonymous with the word “fix”.

Ha! I’m on to something.

I looked into the practice of fishing, and found that it requires lots of time– because it is a study in patience and applied knowledge. Not all fish are attracted to the same kind of bait. If you want a certain kind of fish, you need to learn more about that fish, and you may have to venture into deeper waters.

And there it is: possibility. If you want a certain kind of life, a”fish” or a “fix”,  you need to learn what it takes and have the patience to fish for it.

There is a difference between fishing and catching a fish. One is waiting on possibility, and the other is achieving a goal. If you mean to catch a fish, even though you still need patience, there is a level of strategy and planning on your part. You may plan, and still not catch anything. But fishermen will tell you that while it’s disappointing, it doesn’t negate the joy of playing in nature’s field of possibility.

There’s an obvious reference to Jesus here, who called four of his disciples to be fishers of men. The Sea of Galilee is said to have one of the most diverse population of fish in the world. The men who gave that up saw greater things in serving others.

Do you have the patience to study and cultivate joy and possibility in others? Can you drop a line and wait for something to come up? And IF it does, will you toss it back, or be grateful?

Let me know about your fishing stories by leaving a comment below.