Hunters / Gatherers

"Previously published on Julie Johnson's Facebook site."

Although most hunters, fishers and outdoorsmen will know exactly what I speak of within this note, I think most everyone can agree with what I say, whether you are a novice gatherer or city folk.
There is something about acquiring a live animal, be it by rifle or pole, and skinning/gutting it in order to have it table ready in the space of two hours.
Only the human race can fashion a gathering device such as a fishing pole, take a bit of clear twine, put a piece of metal on the end of it, add a live minnow, place it in a lake and come up with a 10 inch sand bass. But the genius doesn't stop there. After catching the large fish, you can then place it on a fiberglass board, and fillet the fish minus any bones, place it in cold water, and take it straight to the cast iron skillet shortly thereafter.
And there is something about that feeling..........you've caught the fish entirely on your own. You even tied your own knots in the fishing line! You baited your own hook! You reeled it in yourself!! You gutted the sucker!!!! And you did it well....even better than your brother!!!
There's a word for it. Empowerment.
Knowing that if i were stuck in the mountains somewhere and could survive because of my fishing skills, well....that pretty much solidifies me as amazing. And resourceful.
It kind of makes you want to break out into a Whitney Houston version of "I'm Every Woman." Okay, maybe not ALL of you.....
I've come a long way from being the chicago-kid-newbie-that-had-no-idea-where-oklahoma-was.
I will never go hungry....and it's comforting to know that.