02 Oct Persistence Pays

By Bryan Eldredge

I got an email from a friend today that made me smile. Alan Donaldson and I have been friends for almost twenty years now. I’m not sure exactly where or when we first met, but I do know how. Alan is Deaf and so is my wife, so we share a lot of the same social circles.

Alan with a nice Middle Provo brown

Within the past year or so, Alan developed an intense interest in fly fishing. A passion really. That’s given us something else in common.

As most of us know, getting the passion for fly fishing and getting the hang of fly fishing are two different things. But Alan is nothing if not persistent. He’s visited fly shops, gone to shows, visits his local urban pond and asked questions at every possible turn.

Last fall he and I spent an afternoon together on the Middle Provo. We had a good time but fishing was tough that day. Not to be detered, Alan gathered a group of Deaf men who have a similar although generally less driving passion and arranged for a

Alan Donaldson with a nice Utah brookie.

one-day fly fishing school with UFG. We met at Falcon’s Ledge near Altamont, Utah and had a great day. Every member of the group caught some fish, but more importantly, they all increased their knowledge and skills.

Still, this fly fishing thing can be humbling. I’ve gotten a number of frustrated text messages from Alan this summer. He’s caught some fish, but not as many as he’d like. This week, however, Alan emailed me pictures of fish caught on two different rivers. Nice browns from the Middle Provo and some brookies from another small stream. The email really made my day.

I was stuck in the middle of a long stretch of days of work without a break, and just seeing that Alan was out there, plugging along and getting some rewards really gave me a minute to pause and appreciate the nature of fly fishing. It’s not always easy. In fact, it’s sometimes downright disappointing, but I do think those disappointments are what makes is so great. It occupies our minds, challenges our resolve and then,

A great little brookie

eventually, when the starts align, it rewards us with a unique sense of satisfaction. There’s some pride in the accomplishment, but in Alan’s case at least, it’s not a matter of being prideful. Rather his email and the accompanying photos display a pride in having worked so hard and having that work culminate in accomplishment of goals.

Or maybe it’s not as mystical as that. Maybe that look on his face (which people who don’t know him might interpret as almost angry) is just the embodiment of fun. Either way. . . .