Last night, our electrician came over to help install a sound system. His son Max is a smart, jovial 11 year old who lost his mother to cancer at a young age.

Max usually chills on his iPad playing video games while his dad works his electronic magic in the basement.

My friend and I asked the youngster if he’d like to go fishing on our boat. Max’s eyes lit up with excitement, the iPad was history, and we were on our way.

It was a beautiful summer night, around sunset, perfect time for fishing. The wind was pushing us one way while the tide pushed us the other, granting us the perfect “slow drift” along the calm waters of the coast of the Long Island Sound.

Fifteen minutes went by and we hadn’t caught a thing.

Max looked perturbed as this was his first time fishing. It seemed as if he was thinking, “Aren’t we supposed to catch a fish every cast?” Nick and I explained that fishing is about patience and enjoying the water and each other’s company.

Twenty+five minutes…. nothing.

Twenty+eight minutes…. nothing.

Thirty+four minutes…. BANG!

A fish hit my lure and Max leapt to his feet. I handed him the rod and he reeled for his life until the fish had reached the boat. “Did I catch him, did I catch him?” Max yelled in excitement.

As I brought the beautiful striped bass on to the boat, I felt God smiling down on us. I felt God’s love. We took two pictures before we threw Max’s fish back in the water and I felt a deep sense of awareness in the moment. Bringing not just a smile ~ but a whole new experience ~ to a kid’s life, was a privilege.

Max’s first fish. He will never forget that night out on the water. And neither will I.