General musings on the ups and downs and ins and outs in the life of a 30 something, unmarried, life loving, some times interesting and sometimes not, mostly happy girl just trying to figure it all out!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Stuck on the Bottom

I have been butting heads with my life lately. I want it to go one way, it is going another. Or staying another, you could say. I feel stuck. And I've been thinking and praying a lot about all of that lately. Last night I was thinking about my Daddy, and his analogy of being "Stuck on the Bottom" popped into my head.

As you have probably figured out, I grew up fishing with my Daddy; in Cocodree, Grand Isle, Pensacola... I was (and am) my Daddy's fishing buddy. We fished the bottom with weighted lines a lot to get the best trout. And I had a special propensity for getting stuck on the bottom, tangled up in rocks, garbage, a dock, even old graves in south Louisiana, where the coastline recedes yearly. I would, of course, get immensely frustrated and yell (probably scaring away all fish in the vicinity), "Daaaaady, I'm stuck on the bottom!" And he would patiently come and untangle my pole- usually laughing at me. I still do this to him. But every now and then, I would just think I was stuck, when actually- I had a HUGE fish! This would, of course, lead to squeals  and demanding my pole back and much excitement.

My senior year in college, our sorority asked the senior's parents to write a letter of encouragement to their daughters stepping out into the world after graduation. Guess whose parent was the only one who responded? Yep, my Daddy. This was his life advice to me, and I still keep it tucked in my Bible.

Dear Sweetpea,
I know this will be read in front of your sorority sisters, so I will try not to embarrass you. First, I want to tell you how much I love you. Words can't convey it, but those big hugs can. I am the luckiest daddy in the world (for those of you that don't know it, she still sits in my lap- and I love it). I also want to say how proud of you I am. I would be just as proud of you if you were at another school, but it is fun to have another gung-ho Tiger Fan in the house...
I don't know what is coming after graduation. This is an anxious time in your life. I understand. I have been through it. Don't be scared to make a decision. We can talk over the pros and cons, but but you always have the final say in your life. You have a good heart and common sense, continue to use them. Even if you make a decision you regret later, it can be corrected. Your mother and I will always be behind you. Remember that whenever you think "you are stuck on the bottom," it just might be a big fish.
Love, Daddy

#1: If you aren't crying right now there's something wrong with you!
#2: This is great advice for all of us any time we're facing a tough spot and what seems like an inability to make a change. You might feel stuck, but you never know what's really happening.

Thank you, God, for a Daddy that believes in me.

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2 comments:

  1. ASH HAM! that is the sweetest thing. ever! what a precious daddy you have ... who gives GREAT advice!

    ReplyDelete
  2. that is soooooo presh! i have goosebumps!

    ReplyDelete

All About Ashley

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Spring, TX, Southern, United States
Playing with and keeping up with my nephew and niece take up a lot of my time. Van Geaux takes up the rest of it. Work is an afterthought most days! I like to be outside- but not when it's too hot. I get bored at my desk all day. Niki keeps my world spinning and without her and AC I'd lose it. My work ethic crashes at 4 p.m. daily and I live my sweet puppy and my hedgehog whenever I am not at Niki's. I truly believe naps are quality pass-time events, and sometimes I say bad words at work. I'm pretty sure I'm insane on multiple levels and I believe rules don't apply to me.
It seems that my life is quite entertaining. I didn't realize this myself, but was informed of it by my friends- who are rather entertained by tales of my life occurrences.

I'm far from a professional writer. These are just stories, comments, and other items for simple amusement. Hopefully it's a fun read, as Shannon plans to edit it into a book one day! Maybe we'll become famous, and maybe we'll just have some good laughs at my expense (and some other characters in my life). Either way, happy reading!