COLUMN: Resolution to journey and believe

Right at the hint of dusk, a storm arose. Then, despite my hopes that the storm would briefly pass through, it rained all night. The next morning, the ground was soaked, but the sky was clear. I then proceeded to my childhood friend’s house, which was next door, to confirm our plans to go fishing.

As a coastal city on the Gulf of Mexico, my hometown of Pensacola, Florida, has always been a popular place for fishing. Even freshwater fishing is popular there, which is what we did and loved. Our favorite “fishing hole” was an obscure tributary of the Bayou Texar, called Carpenters Creek. It flowed along the perimeter of our neighborhood.

Positioned directly along the Bayou Texar and Carpenters Creek were fabulous waterfront mansions. These homes of our anonymously elite and wealthy neighbors were a stark contrast to our modest and middle class-income dwellings.

Part of getting to Carpenters Creek involved walking through this enchanted portion of our neighborhood. There, moss hung from the sprawling branches of gigantic old oak trees nestled along what we nicknamed “mansion row.” I absolutely loved walking along this street, especially in the wee hours of the morning to get to our fishing hole. Thus, whether my friend was going or not, I had made up my mind that I was going to journey there.

As I had anticipated, he did not want to go. Whenever it rained, he believed the high tide and muddied creek water would preclude the fish from biting. I did not argue or attempt to persuade him otherwise because I knew it would be useless. He did not understand that to me going to Carpenters Creek, which was less than a mile away, was not only about catching fish. For me, it was about the journey.

So often we miss the joy in life’s journey because we’re too shallowly focused on achieving a particular goal that we “think” will make us happy. Happiness is a counterfeit of joy. Happiness is only found in what’s happening. However, joy is in the journey, whether rain or shine — fish or no fish.

If I had listened to the negative predictions of my friend, I would have never learned a valuable life-lesson. It’s a profound maxim that pertains to the resolve and results of persistently adhering to the journey. I learned, despite all naysayers, we should always hold fast to what we inwardly envision and believe despite outward circumstances.

As I scurried along mansion row, which was actually called Menendez Drive, I remember feeling so free and filled with the endless possibilities of what lay ahead in my journey. Of course, with my rod and reel in hand, I then darted with excitement through the tattered trail we had previously worn down the middle of a longstanding vacant waterfront lot along Carpenters Creek. As I journeyed, I envisioned and believed I would catch the elusively coveted and prized fish of our dreams, a large bass.

Despite muddy water that the rippling high tide pushed gently along the creek’s embankment, I hooked a fish within the first few minutes of my arrival — just as I had envisioned.

Based on the might in that fish’s fight, I knew he had to be big, even bigger than I could have ever dreamt. Finally emerging from the cloudy water on the end of my line was my biggest freshwater fish I’ve caught to date — a 20 inch bass.

In 2012, let’s resolve to stay on our journey’s course, despite all signs of defeat. While the world rewards success, God always crowns faithfulness in the journey.