I thought the rod was going to break in two. My Dad was standing ready with the net. "This is a big one!" The fish took a dive under the boat, just about taking me and the rod with him, then... SNAP!! The line broke. For a split second, in our moment of disbelief, the fish received an honorarium of silence for a fight well fought. We chuckled and shook our heads, not believing what had just happened. All that work, for nothing. Or was it?  It was a learning experience, a great bonding moment, and it will go down as one of the "cool" moments that my Dad and I shared.

This brings me to an email posting I read recently.  Someone was wondering how they could go about re-discovering the joy of playing.  This topic is worthy of an entire book, but in short, I think... if it's there, it's there.  Enjoyment can't be forced.  Either you like it or you don't.  The times you truly enjoy it, you'll remember fondly.  That fish certainly didn't like being forced onto our dinner plates and, for now, he's probably lounging around in the weeds and exploring the furthest corners of the lake he calls home.  At some point, maybe he'll have exhausted his opportunities in the lake, become bored and be ready to "move on".

I had the choice, when deciding which college to attend, to go to St. Olaf, my Dad's alma mater, and study with a group of instructors that I was already familiar with, or to go to Indiana University and study with Peter Lloyd, who I had studied with in Masterclasses at a fairly young age.  Peter went to great lengths to get me to come to IU.  Instead, I chose St. Olaf.  I'm not disappointed and I had an amazing time. 

Just recently, I heard from a former instructor of mine.  She emailed, "I just got back from the National Flute Convention in Albuquerque, Monday. it was a wonderful time! Peter LLoyd was there, and did not remember me until I mentioned your name. Apparently you made a bigger splash than either of either of us realize. The entire flute world has heard Peter's story of "the one who got away".  This threw me for a loop.  I had no idea!

This was just one moment in a recent and somewhat eerie series of events that has drawn me back and helped me to re-discover the joy.  It wasn't forced and I feel as though I have so much more to offer now than ever before. 

And, just for the record, I'm going back for that fish next year!