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Farmersfan
01-24-2012, 11:21 AM
I go fishing on an average of about once a week these days. When the weather permits it I go pretty much every single Saturday and will even take vacation time from work periodically to get in a couple of extra days of fishing. In my opinion I've earned it. I worked for 25 years with little to no hobbies and spent 99% of my time involved in family oriented tasks or obligations. I'm not complaining mind you, just referrencing. Now my youngest son is 2 years removed from graduating high school and is doing great in the military as a MP. It's "ME" time now! So on Saturday I get up around 5am and get my stuff together and begin the hour drive to Lake Fork to get in a full day of fishing. The most recent weather report had indicated that I should expect 55 to 60 degrees, sunshine and 5 to 10 mph winds. I launch my boat right at sun up in 38degree temps, completely overcast, misty and probably 25 mph winds. I fish for 2 hours with very little improvement in the weather and zero success in catching fish. With a wind chill of what had to be less than 30 degrees I am bundled up on the front of my boat with the trolling motor moving accross 2 or 3 foot waves fishing and searching for that special spot where the fish are actually feeding. I have a huge hoody, thermal underwear and several layers to try to keep warm. I have my Iphone in my pocket which is connected to my bluetooth headphones that is playing a audiobook of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I am using my most expensive and favorite Rod and Reel and i'm thinking seriously that I might be inclined to make this a very, very short outting because I was miserable. Then I take a wrong step and like some big hand from behind thumped me on the back of the head I do a full face plant right into the lake. I lose my Iphone, headphones, best polorized sunglasses that were sitting on the brim of my cap and a 450.00 rod & reel combo. The only thing I can remember is that during that brief 2 seconds I was thinking that my trolling motor was still running fairly fast and if I don't get back to the surface quickly my boat would run off and leave me in the water 400yards from the nearest shore. I'm swimming before I even hit the water. As I break the surface and immediately look for the boat I have just enough time to take 2 big swimming strokes and catch the back end of the boat as it passes by me. I pull myself up into the boat and immediately the shock of the 49 degree water hits me. I have about 20 minutes of drive time to get to the boat ramp and by the time I get there I am so cold I barely manage to walk over to the my truck and get the heater going. I sit in my truck for about 30 minutes with the heater running full blast before I stop shivering and can manage the stregnth to go load my boat and head home. Still windy as hell and cold. I get my boat loaded finally and head home. I'm about 5 miles from the lake and the sun peaks out of the clouds. I'm 10 miles from the lake and the sun is in full shine. by the time I get home the sun is shining in full glory and the wind has died to almost nothing and it's one of the most beautiful days I've seen in a while. But the 1 hour drive home gave me an opportunity to think about things. I took the whole event in stride because it turned out ok but I started thinking about the "what if's"! I was less than 1 foot away from being out of reach of the boat and that would have left me in 49degree water, 400 yards from shore with huge amounts of clothes on and shoes that certainly would have wieghed me down. What if? Is my wife in a spot in her life where she could have survived this thing if things had happened differently? Not just emotionally but financially? Have I insured recently that my Mom, Sister, my boys and my little grandbaby knows that my love for them is endless? I have spent so much time the past 2 year indulging myself in this past time that I might have ignored other areas of my life that are just as important. I made a few phone calls on Sunday and at least let some of them know how I feel about them. So don't wait! If you have people in your life that are important to you go tell them! Right now...............
..... Oh yeah! And wear a life jacket! I use to be too macho for it. but I can promise you i will from now on!

SintonFan
01-24-2012, 11:43 AM
Puts things in perspective...
good post.

waterboy
01-24-2012, 02:28 PM
Maybe God was speaking to you?:wave: You never know when your time is up on this earth......and it makes you wonder what's beyond this life, or I know it does most of us. Plus, you got some extra time given to you to reflect on what's important on this earth. Will your family be taken care of financially? Do you have insurance? Did I do enough, or say enough to let those I love know I love(d) them, and how important they are/were to me? Will I ever see them again after this life has passed? What a hopeless feeling it would be to know that once this life is over there is nothingness, and there was no real purpose on this earth except to propagate the species of man, and the memory of you will fade completely away in a generation or two. Sorry, man! Just thinking out loud.....:confused:

zebrablue2
01-24-2012, 02:36 PM
Puts things in perspective...
good post.


:iagree:

BwdLion73
01-24-2012, 02:48 PM
Thats scary.....I think you should find what you tripped over and have it removed.:)

AP Panther Fan
01-24-2012, 06:38 PM
I launch my boat right at sun up in 38degree temps, completely overcast, misty and probably 25 mph winds.

You know, I didn't think your story could get worse after the above sentence, but IT DID!

Glad all is well.....

LionFan72
01-24-2012, 07:22 PM
Farmersfan, the message you have failed to heed is, take a friend fishing with you! At least they can video your swimming trip and post on youtube for the rest of us, or maybe pull your clumsy arse out of the drink! Glad things turned out well, soul searching time!

Tejastrue
01-25-2012, 02:41 PM
"Then I take a wrong step and like some big hand from behind thumped me on the back of the head"


That was probably TXB. LOL...


Thanks for sharing. Life can be so humbling.

Farmersfan
01-25-2012, 03:13 PM
Farmersfan, the message you have failed to heed is, take a friend fishing with you! At least they can video your swimming trip and post on youtube for the rest of us, or maybe pull your clumsy arse out of the drink! Glad things turned out well, soul searching time!



I have a few friends that go with me a lot but I prefer to go alone. I usually put my bluetooth headphones on and either listen to music or an audiobook. Can't hardly listen to music with headphones if you have friends in the back of the boat constantly commenting on the grace and talent of my fishing techniques.......................

Farmersfan
01-25-2012, 03:37 PM
Thanks everyone for the kind comments. I have given it a lot of thought and think I have a pretty good grasp on how fragile and minute to minute life can be. I have made contact with both my sons in the past couple of days and emphasized to them how proud I am and how much I love them. I'm not really a sentimental type person who has emotional responses to everything and assign improbable reasons for very normal occurances. I have no illogical thoughts about "God speaking to me" or anything like that because I am pretty sure this was simply one of those accidents that happen to people all the time. If anything I am certainly a realist and understand that although I was only 1 foot away from missing the boat and spending the next hour trying to make it to shore alive I was also less than 1 foot away from it never happening in the first place.
I'm pretty sure that the BIGGEST things I've learned from this experience would be #1. Pay attention to what I'm doing, #2. Carry extra clothes (just in case #1 is too difficult). :) JK
I'm pretty sure I will give a little extra thought and appreciation to those times I'm with the love of my life and my other family members. Thanks again for the comments.

Farmersfan
01-25-2012, 04:08 PM
Maybe God was speaking to you?:wave: You never know when your time is up on this earth......and it makes you wonder what's beyond this life, or I know it does most of us. Plus, you got some extra time given to you to reflect on what's important on this earth. Will your family be taken care of financially? Do you have insurance? Did I do enough, or say enough to let those I love know I love(d) them, and how important they are/were to me? Will I ever see them again after this life has passed? What a hopeless feeling it would be to know that once this life is over there is nothingness, and there was no real purpose on this earth except to propagate the species of man, and the memory of you will fade completely away in a generation or two. Sorry, man! Just thinking out loud.....:confused:


Thanks for the comments waterboy. But I have a question for you if you are up to some linear thinking:
If God was speaking to me, as you suggested, and I failed to hear then wouldn't that constitute a failure on God's part? Doesn't this indicate that either #1. God didn't know to what extent he would need to exert his will in order to get my attention so the attempt failed, or #2. his original intent was to fail which seems to ask what purpose the attempt achieved in the first place or #3. God was incapable of exerting more will than he did which brings up many other questions? Which do you suppose would best fits your ideology? :)

Sorry, I'm bored and this kind of thing always gets things stirred up!

BEAST
01-25-2012, 05:20 PM
Thanks for the comments waterboy. But I have a question for you if you are up to some linear thinking:
If God was speaking to me, as you suggested, and I failed to hear then wouldn't that constitute a failure on God's part? Doesn't this indicate that either #1. God didn't know to what extent he would need to exert his will in order to get my attention so the attempt failed, or #2. his original intent was to fail which seems to ask what purpose the attempt achieved in the first place or #3. God was incapable of exerting more will than he did which brings up many other questions? Which do you suppose would best fits your ideology? :)

Sorry, I'm bored and this kind of thing always gets things stirred up!


It seems to me it got your attention. So, I suppose, he knew exactly how to wake you up.




BEAST

waterboy
01-26-2012, 09:25 AM
Thanks for the comments waterboy. But I have a question for you if you are up to some linear thinking:
If God was speaking to me, as you suggested, and I failed to hear then wouldn't that constitute a failure on God's part? Doesn't this indicate that either #1. God didn't know to what extent he would need to exert his will in order to get my attention so the attempt failed, or #2. his original intent was to fail which seems to ask what purpose the attempt achieved in the first place or #3. God was incapable of exerting more will than he did which brings up many other questions? Which do you suppose would best fits your ideology? :)

Sorry, I'm bored and this kind of thing always gets things stirred up!
Haha...I knew I could stir you up.:) There's no need in my answering your questions because you'll never get it. I will tell you this, even though I know you don't understand it. God gave us free will, regardless of what "attention" grabbers he may throw out there. If you're predisposed to a thought one way or the other, you will either see the message or you won't. I'll leave it at that.....

I am glad you're okay, though. Next time wear a life jacket. Okay?

Farmersfan
01-26-2012, 09:45 AM
It seems to me it got your attention. So, I suppose, he knew exactly how to wake you up.




BEAST


Thanks for the different perspective Beast. If you believe God pushed me towards a mindset and purpose OTHER THAN trying to bring me back into the "flock" or "provide me my salvation" then I really can't argue that. That's a thought process that would apply to anything that has ever happened in our lives. If you stub your toe you will learn something from it and anyone could claim that God was telling you to wear your shoes and there is no way to dispute that. Of course there is even less evidence to support it but that doesn't normally matter to people. But I have to ask for the sake of discussion: To what purpose did this "message" serve if indeed it was a message? I already live a life that would compete with 95% of self professed Christians in the "Christ-like" category. I already have great relationships with my wife and other family members and rarely do anything that would constitute an unapproved activity by the Church. These things could be better but still weren't bad to start with. Based on everything that I know about the Christian belief the only area that I am delinquent in is the "Acceptance of God's Salvation" requirement that entitles a lot of Christians to be judgmental A-holes and live a completely non Christ-like existence and still consider themselves 1-up on the rest of us. I have failed to utilize the LOOPHOLE in the Christian religion so wouldn't it stand to reason that any message from God would certainly be a push in that direction? I guess what I'm asking is doesn't it seem a bit irrational to think that God would even care to push a Good man to be a better man without pushing the religion aspect of it? Especially considering everything else that is going on in the world that could certainly use attention?

Farmersfan
01-26-2012, 10:25 AM
Haha...I knew I could stir you up.:) There's no need in my answering your questions because you'll never get it. I will tell you this, even though I know you don't understand it. God gave us free will, regardless of what "attention" grabbers he may throw out there. If you're predisposed to a thought one way or the other, you will either see the message or you won't. I'll leave it at that.....

I am glad you're okay, though. Next time wear a life jacket. Okay?



I'm thinking that I would certainly "Get it" if it were God's purpose that I "Get it"! :) The problem arises when I'm told God wants me to get it and I still don't! The contradictions in this idea would stack to the ceiling.

waterboy
01-26-2012, 11:03 AM
I'm thinking that I would certainly "Get it" if it were God's purpose that I "Get it"! :) The problem arises when I'm told God wants me to get it and I still don't! The contradictions in this idea would stack to the ceiling.
No contradictions to me. Once again, it goes back to free will. He COULD send you a message that you would understand, but that would definitely interfere with your free will, no contradiction there. It's just a different vantage point, and seeing things from a different belief system. That's why you would not "get it", even if it slapped you upside the head......:wave:....LOL. It's okay, though. You're alright, and that's what counts. Like I said, wear that dang life jacket next time!

BwdLion73
01-26-2012, 02:19 PM
Thanks for the comments waterboy. But I have a question for you if you are up to some linear thinking:
If God was speaking to me, as you suggested, and I failed to hear then wouldn't that constitute a failure on God's part? Doesn't this indicate that either #1. God didn't know to what extent he would need to exert his will in order to get my attention so the attempt failed, or #2. his original intent was to fail which seems to ask what purpose the attempt achieved in the first place or #3. God was incapable of exerting more will than he did which brings up many other questions? Which do you suppose would best fits your ideology? :)

Sorry, I'm bored and this kind of thing always gets things stirred up!

Maybe he just doesnt like you. :p

Farmersfan
01-26-2012, 05:01 PM
No contradictions to me. Once again, it goes back to free will. He COULD send you a message that you would understand, but that would definitely interfere with your free will, no contradiction there. It's just a different vantage point, and seeing things from a different belief system. That's why you would not "get it", even if it slapped you upside the head......:wave:....LOL. It's okay, though. You're alright, and that's what counts. Like I said, wear that dang life jacket next time!



I'm pretty sure you really don't understand the concept of "Free Will" waterboy!

BEAST
01-27-2012, 09:37 AM
I'm pretty sure you really don't understand the concept of "Free Will" waterboy!

I think he understands it pretty well. God (Jesus) could show you one sign after another. However, if you choose not to see or believe, that is your choice (free will). He is not going to force you to take him in your life. However, he will meet you anywhere along your journey if you truly open up to him and ask him in. The choice is yours.




BEAST

waterboy
01-27-2012, 12:01 PM
I think he understands it pretty well. God (Jesus) could show you one sign after another. However, if you choose not to see or believe, that is your choice (free will). He is not going to force you to take him in your life. However, he will meet you anywhere along your journey if you truly open up to him and ask him in. The choice is yours.




BEAST
I couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks, Beast!

I will add that I have used my "free will" to choose to be a believer. Just because I chose to be a believer doesn't mean I lost my "free will". I just chose to live my life according to my belief in God. FF just uses his "free will" to not believe. I place my trust in God (Jesus Christ), while he chooses to place his trust in man.

44INAROW
01-27-2012, 12:57 PM
good prospective.. glad you are OK - we lost a very good friend in March 1988 in an incident similar (but on the intercoastal waterway in Port O'connor) Kenny didn't make out out alive - the other two guys lived but have "survivor remorse" to this day.. all 3 were very experienced bay fishermen.. To this day, they don't know remember why they capsized. All 3 had on life vests but the hypothermia got Kenny....... :( Again, so glad you're OK and walked away with a good story to tell!

Farmersfan
01-27-2012, 04:44 PM
[QUOTE=BEAST;1658208]I think he understands it pretty well. God (Jesus) could show you one sign after another. However, if you choose not to see or believe, that is your choice (free will). He is not going to force you to take him in your life. However, he will meet you anywhere along your journey if you truly open up to him and ask him in. The choice is yours.


I see claims of understanding but very little evidence of it in these posts! Have a great weekend everybody!

waterboy
01-27-2012, 06:02 PM
I see claims of understanding but very little evidence of it in these posts! Have a great weekend everybody!
Evidence is there whether you believe one way or the other. It just depends on which viewpoint you choose to see it from. Y'all have a great weekend, too!

Farmersfan
01-30-2012, 08:58 AM
UPDATE:

Good news! I fished 7 hours on Sunday and did NOT fall overboard! (or get pushed by God):)

Bad News! Not even a single bite. Bad time of the year. With water temps in the low 50's (I know this for a fact) the fish aren't very active. I can't wait for spring...............