Did the fish thank you? That’s a question I wasn’t expecting to hear on a peaceful day by the river. We all see life through a personal lens, shaped by our experiences—our family, culture, environment, and more. One such moment happened to me in September 2007, when this photo was taken. It was my first outing after a mastectomy surgery for breast cancer, and my arm was still weak. A fisheries biologist friend took me to Stillwater, MN, a beautiful river town east of St. Paul.
A Simple Day by the River
The day was cool and sunny, and being outdoors was a welcome relief. My friend set me up with a lightweight fishing pole, equipped with a 2-pound test line—light enough that I had no expectation of catching anything. I was simply happy to exercise my arm, casting the line into the swirls of river water heading toward the Gulf of Mexico.
But after some time, something unexpected happened: my hook caught on something. I thought it was a log, but then came the wiggle. If you’ve ever fished, you know the excitement of feeling a live fish on the other end of the line. My heart raced as I played the fish, reeling it in and letting the line out, carefully managing the fragile line.
The Fish Puts Up a Fight
Before long, I realized I had an audience. A large family from Sri Lanka had gathered to watch the show. After an exciting battle, we pulled the fish close, and to my surprise, it was a 17-pound drum fish—quite the catch for a 2-pound test line! A friend snapped a picture before we released the fish back into the water, watching it swim away.
Did the Fish Thank You?
After releasing the fish, one of the Sri Lankan men asked me, “Did the fish thank you for letting it go?” That simple question opened a new perspective for me. I had never thought about it that way. My reply was, “No, but I thanked it for letting me catch it.”
A New Perspective
That question stayed with me. It made me realize how differently we all view the world. For me, catching the fish was an exciting moment that brought life and thrill back to me after a tough surgery. But for the man who asked the question, perhaps it was about the fish’s perspective, about gratitude, release, and the mutual experience.
The Beauty of Different Perspectives
To this day, I reflect on that encounter. A simple question opened my eyes to how vastly different people can view the same event. That moment of reflection helped me grow, and I’ll always be grateful for it.
Lin Hipp
That was quite an experience you had, Teresa. We are so unaware of other’s
perceptions and realities. Really, we have no way of knowing until they are
revealed, as it happened to you.
It was west meets east. Thank you for the story.