Invisible Rewards

The alarm clock rang out at 5 am yesterday morning. I struggled with the notion of rolling over and going back to sleep. Somehow I managed to peel myself off of the cozy warm bed and stumble towards the coffee maker. After grabbing a steaming cup, I wobbled like an old rickety man out the front door to inspect the sky and the potential weather. It was cloudy, and possibly going to rain. However, I was already up, so I took the drive over to my secret lake, launched my kayak, and fell into my trance. I paddled through the thin stream that spills out into the main lake. The morning air was fresh and cool, and birds were chirping. A rabbit sat on the bank and watched me float by. I threw some bread to a goose, who then chose to then follow me in hopes of more. I even took a few moments to open my bait bucket and watch the minnows dance around one another in the water, even though I would soon send them out as bait. As I broke into the main lake, I observed several mother ducks, whom had gathered in a cove, instructing there ducklings on bathing techniques. I get a stupid little smile on my face every time I get out there. I paddled over to my favorite spot to try my luck under a dock where the fish usually hide amongst the pilings waiting to attack their pray. A man was walking around the dock and near the woods with a camera, looking for the perfect scene to take a picture. We smiled and nodded at each other, and although no words were spoken, we both knew we were out there for the same reasons.
I spent the next 6 hours spanning the lake, only to end up with one fish. In the eyes of an onlooker this would seem to be a failure in my quest. That is exactly what I want them to see, because the wealth that I gain from a day like this is invisible to the naked eye. The rewards do not come in the physical materialistic form, from which most people gain there temporary excitement. This bounty is much greater, and longer lasting. It is something you have to feel with your soul.