“What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it.” C.S. Lewis
At the end of September I was able to do something that I love. Fish in Canada. Not only did I do it for a week but I was able to do it with two groups of great people. Frankly I can’t think of many things better than being in the Canadian wilderness fishing with people I love.
Mike "Spike" Samyn and I slaying Northern
The first group of guys I fished with are friends from college (one friend goes back to middle school) and my brother. This is an annual trip we have taken together since the mid 90’s. The trip began after we closed the stock club we had together (we weren’t making money in the market when the rest of the world was making lots of it – some of you may remember those days). So we decided to take an annual fishing trip instead to replace our time together in the stock club (the way things were going we figured this would be a less costly option).
John “Flem” Fleming our chief
These guys are my longest (nearly 30 years) and closest friends. Our fishing trip is a chance to catch up and be together. The Canadian wilderness provides a great place to be and fishing a fun activity to do while we spend 5 days together.
Brother Rich on an early morning walleye hunt
What do three decades of friendships look like? Here is a brief list of what we have shared together:
Our college careers (we all worked together as RA’s and RHD’s at Central Michigan University)
Being in and at each of our weddings and supporting each other through the marriages that followed (Praise God we are all still married to these same women – praise these women as well).
The births of 23 kids.
The loss of parents and other significant people in our lives.
Watching sports together, including our kids playing together and against each other.
Coaching, encouraging and supporting each other in our careers.
Praying and supporting each other and our families through life threatening health issues.
Keeping each other out of real trouble while sometimes finding ourselves together in not so real trouble.
And of course fishing in Canada together.
Brian "Bake" Baker and Tony "Bones" Voisin hiking to a strategic lake to catch giant northern pike.
As you can see we not only “see the same truth” but we have lived and shared our lives together as well. As a result these guys are a true a gift to me.
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