Grace and the Art of fly-fishing

“My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe.

To him, all good things – trout as well as eternal salvation – come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easily.” Norman Maclean, from A River Runs Through It.

Maclean’s quote suggests to me, that if there is art in your life you are truly blessed. And if you do, you see it everywhere and in everything. It becomes the flow in your veins and the goal of all that you do every day, minute, year. There is a lot of wisdom and mystery in Maclean’s words. I strive to keep looking for that “grace” he describes. I get that “art doesn’t come easily”, but can it sneak up on you, surprise you when you’re not expecting it? Even as a child, I had always thought of myself as a painter, with brush in hand. Now, many years later and, as other artists have discovered, there are many paths to art. Just like in the movie “A River Runs Through It”, I was caught by the beauty and grace of fly-fishing. The first time I saw a long, willowy line cast gently out over the water, I felt the thrill of a new kind of art. There in the sunlight my heart felt a joy that no painting could ever portray. Over the next 10 years fly-fishing adventures took me to the most breathtaking places in nature and gave me some of the most art-filled years of my life. I think Maclean was right, because for me art and fly fishing sometimes do come by grace. They are good things and they both don’t come easily.

Until we meet again,

Bonnie