Mountain Streams and Dreams

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could right now step off the concrete onto the soft brown earth and green grasses next to a clear flowing stream? Surrounding the stream are various shrubs, a few sticks and logs, and small pebbles and rocks smoothed by the water. Not too many trees here, but there are some scraggly willows, and further back deep green evergreens. Let’s imagine it. Looking up and out you can see the foothills and mountains. The water is moving at a moderate pace, not rushing, so that it is comfortable to wade into the stream. This morning you woke up in darkness and moved outside in the early gray twilight of dawn. When you got to this creek the sun was peeking in and out of fluffy clouds. You close your eyes to better focus on the soft breeze against your cheek that cools the warmth you feel from the sun. Take a deep, deep breath. And another. The air is so clean up here in the mountains. You had almost forgotten how clean fresh air could be. There’s a tinge of the forest pine. Good thing that you put on your waders this morning, because you want to step out into the creek and cast your line. You can hear the birds chirping and singing, encouraging you on. Oh look, you can see the little flies and nymphs jumping on the water. The trout in the stream see the movement too. Let’s pull back our arm and throw out the line to the middle of the stream where it looks like the fish are biting. Caught one! Lift out the foot-long fish to admire it. We don’t need it for food, so we greet it, unhook it quickly, and release it back. Go along fish, and have a nice day. 1/19/24