Long before time existed there brewed in the imagination of the old fly fisherman a hope of lush green mossy river banks and tumbling white water where fish and river live in perfect harmony. This garden of joy and river of life would bear the mark of the old fly fisherman and be pondered as He waded amongst His scaly friends.
One day as His two chosen rainbow trout were swimming about in the river of wild innocence and freedom to travel as they pleased, they became interrupted as a sly water snake slithered between them. This serpent of ancient days enticed the female bow to an afternoon of indulgence eating off of the only weed beds that were restricted by old man fly fisherman. “How come you don’t eat here?”, he whispered beside her red gill plate. “Oh, that is the weed bed of knowledge and we must never eat of it!”, she exclaimed. Yet soon that sneaky reptile had convinced her that she was entitled to this knowledge and she became prideful and even seduced the male rainbow to eat of it also!
The next day the fly fisherman came to the river’s edge to watch His fish playing, yet instead He found them trying to hide in the white water and under the rocks. “where are you little ones?”, He gently tried to persuade. “oh what have you done?” And this became known as the day the river fell. From here on a disruption between the fly fisherman and the trout began.
The fly fisherman in His wisdom had created an alternate plan to convince His fish that they were meant to have fellowship with Him. So He spent many an afternoon tying tiny masterpieces of aquatic angels and tiny fly insects with well adorned feathers, tinsel and thread. His knowledge of the trout was complete and each fly He tied was hand tailored for every single fish that swam in the garden. By the time the female trout had taken of the weed bed of knowledge the old man had invented and filled two mighty fly boxes in all their glory with these delightful morsels.
There still remained a missing piece to present the fly to the fish, so in the great mind of the fly fisherman He fabricated the perfect tool to reach across the chasm of death which separated Him from the trout. A section of split cane bamboo with enough elasticity to bend and compliment the water’s power and fine string to hold the fly securely would serve as the ultimate sacrifice. This fine work of art would be cut and re-cut, pressed and fired, laminated and fit with 7 smooth ilets and a warm cork handle until it was fashioned precisely for the duty of winning the lost fish. It would be so masterfully original that one could not tell where the fly fisherman’s arm ended and the rod began. An extension of Himself really.
As time progressed and the sun began to fall red orange melting into the purple sky the old man began His approach to find these lost souls. It was so beautiful a moment when He began to pull line from His reel that one could almost feel His presence yet not know if He was even there. And slowly with elegant back strokes and forward motion He drew more line out with each sweeping movement. At last when He dipped His wrist slightly and allowed His dry fly to land softly on the seam of distant pocket of water the female trout rose to take a closer look.
This invitation was incredible. she thought, “Perhaps even more delicious then the weed bed of knowledge!” And so swiftly she bit into the delicate fly and just as her mouth felt the shiny object the old man lifted His cane rod up high and all who swam by were drawn to it’s sight!
Courteous and patient yet firm the fly fisherman brought her closer to His side where He could enjoy watching her form again. He became mesmerized by her beauty and thought, “This was how we were meant to live! Side by side, connected yet free.” And as she came close enough to see His face He turned and released her from the fly and back into the white water where she rested and pondered these things in her heart, “This old man really loves me! How could He give so freely and even after I disobeyed he loved me enough to come after me and draw me to His side. I will look for Him now. And I will take His invitation when He presents it so nicely! Oh, how free I feel right now! Oh, how free…”
PM
