I woke up this morning one year older, and hopefully copiously wiser. It is sometimes hard to believe that I have been on the planet forty seven years now, but every time I look at my driver’s licence I am starkly reminded. It is Thanksgiving here in Canada today! I awoke grateful and thankful for another day alive. I have kept myself physically fit since I was a young teenager. I have always been athletic; involved in all types of sports including hockey, baseball and golf. When I was a pre-teen, I wanted to become a golf professional but that gave way to what I believe was my ultimate calling, a fisherman and fishing guide.
Since the creation of my blog, and the start of my fishing journey, I have met many beautiful people in and out of the fishing industry who have helped me and my business succeed. I would like to pay homage to those people here in this post and say a heartfelt thank you for all you have done for me and continue to do for me. I would like you to know that I appreciate your time, I appreciate your help but most of all, I appreciate you in my life! I was taught to surround myself with the best people possible, people who love and support one another and have a positive outlook on life and the future. The folks who have learned from the past, and go forth, setting a great example of how to live life to the fullest each and every day! I am humbly thankful for you all!
“Go forth into the busy world and love it. Interest yourself in its life, mingle kindly with its joys and sorrows.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson. It took a lot of courage to start this Blog and to embark on this journey. Today I understand that courage is something I develop. Each time I go through an experience that stretches me, each time I hold my own feet to the fire, each time I discipline myself and hold myself to a slightly higher standard than before, I grow inside, I get a little bit stronger, I strengthen my own courage and resolve to meet the next challenge.
To my dear friend Brent Truitt, thank you for teaching me how to blog and create websites with no prior knowledge of the internet or web skills. I was as green as the grass grows so to speak. We sat at your home for many hours drinking coffee as you sat and taught me how to become “The authority” in my niche, as you stated. I am very thankful for your time and patience.
To Dwayne Parsons, who found my blog in its infancy and graciously offered his help editing my blog posts for no cost. My writing was sub-par at that time to put it mildly. Dwayne would receive my articles via email and put what he called “The shoe polish” on them. Once the polish was applied, send them back to me edited, ready to publish. I would like to think my articles are more “polished” then they once were and that I have grown as a writer. I am thankful for you!
To each and every one of my clients who hired my service at the start of my guiding career, a huge heartfelt thank you for believing in me! To those who continue to hire me each and every year, I am eternally grateful and I thank you so very much.
To Greg S, and Andrew G, for offering my very first sponsorship in the fishing industry! When I first opened Greg’s email, I almost fell off my chair when it listed eight amazing tackle manufactures in this sponsorship. I worked very hard on my Blog and it was extremely rewarding to receive this offer. I went on to do several Calgary Boat and Sportsman’s shows to promote this sponsorship deal. I am honored and thankful you picked me to promote your business and the products you represent! I thank you both so very much!
To Mr. Steve Gower, it has been a huge blessing for me to get to know you since we met at the Calgary Boat show many moons ago. You my friend are one of the most amazing human beings on planet earth. I will forever cherish what you have done, and continue to do for myself personally, and my business. Every time I get to have you on the boat, it is an honor, and a true privilege my dear friend. We have forged a very close friendship over the years, fishing and laughing many, many days away. I have been your “Net man” for some amazing trophy trout. I would not trade those memories for anything in the world. I thank you for those late night calls, chatting for hours on end! I thank you for lending an ear when I need to talk with someone. I thank you for your gracious heart and beautiful soul, but most of all; I thank you for our amazing friendship!
To Rob Clarke, thanks for always having my back everywhere I go. It is a true blessing to have you in my life. I am humbled you come down from Edmonton and fish with me every year. “Troutapalooza” is always the highlight of my summer! I am thankful you chose me to create memories with you and your son Ben.
Thank you all for reading the Blog post here today. I hope you are all having an amazing turkey dinner with your loved ones and friends. For my birthday today, the BEST present a guy could receive is YOU.
~Mike
