Why Fishing is Better Than Marriage

I thought I'd reflect on marriage and the danger it seems to pose to one's sanity.
I made a HUGE error in my choice of marital partners, and it has cost a fortune to dissolve the unholy union. My parents taught me that a bit of gallows humor can work wonders to improve one's mindset in a bad situation, so here I go.

To fish, you buy gear. You own it. You can spend a few hundred or several thousand dollars on it, but it's yours. With my marriage, I bought a house. It is not mine, it is over-mortgaged. I can't sell it without the consent and agreement of someone with whom I cannot agree. If I walked away tomorrow, never to be seen again, I'd take my boy, my dog, my truck, boat, and fishing rods.

I fish when I want. I don't consult with anyone about what color line I'll be using and if it will match my shirt. I enjoy my time alone, and I've never dreaded going to the water.

None of my gear has ever maxed out a credit card and then demanded I pay it. For what's been spent on attorney's fees, I could have had a small cabin. If I told my friends I got a boat for my wife, they'd tell me it was a good trade.

Perhaps I'm a little bitter. Marriage isn't a bad thing. It's the spouses that are bad. For now, I'll stick to pleasant activities.

With all the complicated minutia of today's relationships, I appreciate the simplicity of tossing a line in the water. There's no alimony or misappropriated child support. My cell phone stays off unless I'm taking a photo. The air is unfiltered and the sunshine is pure. A baloney sandwich and icy cold sweet tea from a Thermos is a great reason to take a break, and the joyful squeal of a toddler who catches a fish is something we should all hear more often.