At the ages of five and three, my sons have a love for the outdoors. They enjoy playing outside, but nothing can compare to the look on their faces as they get ready to go hunting with “Daddy” or they get their poles ready for a family fishing trip. This past weekend was an example of the love they have for the outdoors.

The moment their Papa (my dad) mentioned looking for worms my sons knew what was up. Their little faces lit up with anticipation. They were going fishing! They hurried outside with Papa to find plenty of worms so that they could spend the afternoon at the pond.

As I sat on the bank of the pond, I watched with pure pleasure and pride as my sons held their poles waiting for that very first fish of the day to bite. The competitive nature showing the moment they reached the pond: each wanting to catch the first fish, each wanting to catch the most fish, and each wanting to catch the biggest fish. Their concentration focused on the line, waiting patiently for a fish to hit. I knew it was going to be a wonderful day.

As the day went on, we caught fish from one pond then moved to another pond where more fish were caught. My sons both caught plenty of fish and no longer focused on the competition with each other as much as the enjoyment of looking at all the fish that were caught. We all had a great time.

I know that as my sons get older they will continue to have a growing admiration and love for the outdoors and everything in it. We sat there as three generations having a wonderful time and making memories that would last for the rest of our lives. Memories which will be passed down for generations to come.