Fishing for Salmon

I remember fishing for salmon in the frigid valleys of the Howling Fjord. The blistering cold battered the dragon which I rode, soaring high up into the sky, scoping for schools of fish. The coniferous trees and northern lights kept me company, but what really captivated my imagination was a melody that emanated in the background.

I might have not fished icy waters in skin and bone, but I have done so in an open world game. I did so, sometimes for hours on end, because it was the way I had devised to gain in game currency. And although there was a multitude of other means to gain my virtual living, I found myself coming back to this imaginary place to fish for salmon. over and over again.

Almost five years have passed since I set foot in that wondrous realm and most of what I had done there has no real value to what I am doing now. Yet, I reminisce of the Fjord and other places. I do not remember specific details of events or in game goals which I achieved. Rather, I remember the friends I made and most importantly, the experience of living in a fantasy world. I had the chance to be a child again, and the music which surrounded this world made it even more special.

What I remember are not the exact reasons for which I fished for salmon, but the feeling of wonder I got while doing so. The eagles and trees, and the rivers of Grizzly Hills are reborn in my mind as I am taken back by the flute of the music masterpiece that I heard everyday I ventured into that area of that virtual world. It is rather like seeing a familiar face long forgotten, or to smell the scent of flowers that once grew in your garden.

We usually strive to experience and remember too much of the world, even of our own, that we forget about the sea of smells, sounds and feelings that drench our minds. Sometimes we try to describe these experiences but fail to realise that we are only searching for one facet of that memory.

Experiences; be it new places we visit or people we meet, events we are part of or a chance encounter with something extraordinary must be, in the true sense of the word, experienced by all our senses. It is much more pleasing to recall the emotions I felt in the Howling Fjord than to look back at a picture of that place.

So next time you go to a concert or are talking to a friend, stop trying to take pictures or looking at your devices. Look at the eyes of your friend and hear the beautiful tones that dance in front you. Start watching a movie expecting nothing and having read nothing about it and it will become a part of you.

To live in awe does not come easily. Mastering the art of truly becoming part of your experiences and actually living the moment is an ongoing struggle.

A struggle which is worth pursuing.