Father, Son, Holy Mackerel - Chapter 1

I can count the times I joined my dad on a fishing expedition on one hand, actually on three fingers. But those three fishing experiences were memorable indeed! I was an inquisitive seven-year-old and was ecstatic about going fishing with my dad.

Each time I tossed out the line, I caught something — and my lines never even hit the water. On my first attempt, I hooked my father’s favorite outdoor cap, pulling it unceremoniously off his head. I remember his initial irritation turning to laughter as he helped me reel his hat in. I also remember how the wet hat looked on his head. He refused to fish without it.

On our second fishing trip, I hooked the back of my shirt — twice! I did manage to catch several fish. It wasn’t many. I remember they were little, and I learned how to talk fisherman’s talk. I discovered what is meant by ‘catch and release.’ If the fish are too small, you throw them back!

I’d catch a tiny cat fish or snag a turtle and look at my father and ask, ‘Release?’ And he’d nod his decision. When it came to fishing, I was not giving Dad much to celebrate.

On my third and final fishing expedition with Dad, I snagged his left ear lobe. I didn’t do it on purpose! But I hooked it good! I didn’t need to ask about ‘catch and release’ that time. I remember thinking, “Holy mackerel, is he going to toss me overboard?”

When I look back on those fishing fiascos with my dad, I realized that our time together was the valuable thing. After I ‘hooked and released’ I preferred to immerse myself in a book, take/jot down notes, and compose something of my own while Dad fished. I didn’t realize it then, but those initial writing projects were the beginning of my writing career.

My father liked to catch fish — and I liked to catch ideas. Later I learned they’re the same thing. I also discovered that most fishermen catch their best fish by the tale — TALE — and I learned nothing grows as fast as a fish from the time it bites until it slips away.

I have another fish story for you. It comes from the Gospel of John — John 21:1-6. But it’s more than just a fish story. It’s about how the brain works.

If you take this story at face value, seven fishermen took the advice of a person who never fished in the pond, so to speak. Obviously, there is more to the story than meets the eye. Metaphysically, this story has much to teach us:

There are seven disciples mentioned: Simon Peter (faith), John (love), Thomas (understanding), Nathaniel — who is the same as Bartholomew — (imagination), James, son of Jebedee (wisdom), and two more anonymous disciples who were most likely Simon, the Cananaean (Zeal), and James, son of Alphaeus (order). These seven disciples symbolize the spiritual qualities which assist us in manifesting ideas.

Sea of Tiberias = the spiritual insights we can gain when we apply our spiritual powers

Fish = Divine ideas. (In verse 11 it says the disciples caught 153 large fish — which they did not ‘catch and release’ — 153 stands for the number of known species of fish at the time of this Gospel story. When we connect with Spirit, we have access to an inexhaustible supply of ideas)

Net = Our mind, which catches ideas

Fishing at night from the left side of the boat = literally means we are fishing in the dark if we try to comprehend spiritual truths from a left-brained material awareness

Right Side = Always indicates the side of truth. It also represents the right side of our brain, our intuitive side, our creativity.

So, when we work out of our sense consciousness (Fish at night), we find ourselves working like crazy, but end up empty. However, when we connect with Spirit and practice truth principles (fish from the right side of the boat), we can tap into an inexhaustible supply of Divine Ideas which bring us the prosperity, peace and joy we want.

Holy mackerel! All we need to do is harmonize both sides of our brain to catch Divine Ideas. It just takes using a little bit of our “net” worth.

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