Sunday, March 3, 2019

Coffee, Writing, and Fly Fishing


As you must suspect, the love of coffee is a prerequisite for being a writer. I like mine strong and rich and accented by a bit of cream.


But there’s more to writing than just coffee. Quality writing is where we search for meaning in the swirl of life, where we use the power of language to explore the wonder and ambiguity of our common humanity and the eternity to come.


Shallow and frivolous writing fails to do this and is much like icing made with sugar and lard. It may taste good at first, but ultimately provides no nutritional value and leaves the body wanting. In contrast, quality writing provides something solid, substance necessary for life, nutrition that helps you grow.


It’s easy to spot quality writing. Reading it reminds you of times you looked through a glass pane. At one angle you see the world beyond, perhaps a world you’ve never seen before. Yet at another angle you see your own reflection, something about yourself you hadn’t seen before.


Finally, no discussion of writing would be complete without the consideration of fly fishing. After all, fly fishing demands the proper execution of basic skills, just as writing does. Both demand discipline. Both have a certain artistry and beauty about them.


Moreover, I have concluded that God created trout streams so that we may become fly fishermen, and that’s something to write about. There’s something special about casting a dry fly on a hot summer afternoon, or standing beside a trout stream on a frigid fall morning sipping a cup of coffee.


So you see, the love of coffee goes well with fly fishing and just about everything else. As for writing, well I like mine as I like my coffee, strong and rich and accented by a bit of cream.