I think about my buddy Jim pretty much every day. But especially when I am witnessing a crazy sunset, staring at a cool bird, or learning some neat fact about nature. He’s usually on the receiving end of pictures, videos and texts about all of this.
Jim died a couple months ago, close to his birthday and mine. He was doing what he loved, guiding people down the river. That’s where I met him. One of us would guide, while one would shuttle trips on the San Antonio River. It got to the point where I let Jim do most of the guiding, he was a fan favorite. Jim would reach his hand in the river and swiftly grab a fish out of the water. He picked up turtles from above and had all the kayakers in awe when they got to hold it. I even watched him grab a snake from behind it’s neck and pull it out of the water. He was a king of creatures. He would come to my RV site on the Guadalupe River and teach me how to fly fish and what kind of fly to use for trout. We would go on kayak trips also, and he taught me how to read the water and exit rapids swiftly into an eddy. He was always present, pointing out a family of ducks, invasive turtles, teaching me about migratory birds. I was a student at his feet. When working with him, I never needed my phone. We would feed squirrels, make friends with stray cats, check on a duck nest, everyday I was excited to spend another day with Jim, wondering what adventures we would have. He lives on in me in the way I refuse to live numbly, the way I want to be present like him, and see the creatures and understand the patterns of nature. There will never be another Jim, so I count my blessings for the days I spent with him, each one so full of life.
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AuthorKatie Elizabeth: Writer, Wonderer, Wanderer. Archives
January 2022
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