Getting Into the Spirit

THE WORD “spirit” occupies a lot of real estate in our language.

It can have the deepest of deep religious meanings, when it defines the pinnacle of divinity, The Holy Spirit. Then, it can wade into shallower depths of context as it describes something as superficial as loyalty to a high school football team. “C’mon Timmy… where’s your Fightin’ Nutria Spirit?”

The word can represent changes in mood. Happy? You’re in good spirits. Depressed? Your spirits are low. It can get spooky, when someplace is said to be haunted by spirits. It can take on a sinister connotation, as when someone is “spirited away.”

“Spirit” defines strength of character and determination. It also describes inspired and innovative creators, embodied in the “entrepreneurial spirit.” It shows up in legalese when “the spirit of the law” is expounded upon. In the realm of libations, it describes the hard stuff, as in “beer, wine and spirits.” And, it can take on a figuratively combative tone, as when people engage in a “spirited debate.”

Then, there is the patriotic connotation. The “American Spirit” is a term that has been co-opted by both sides of the political spectrum and overused to the point of cliché. What the term means is open to interpretation, depending especially on which end of that spectrum a person is drawn toward.

Does the American Spirit mean America First? Or, does it mean America, the World’s Beacon of Democracy? Does it represent the values of a hardworking but generous people, or does it represent the self-indulgent urges of winner-take-all competitiveness? Was it embodied in the insurgent mob of January 6th and the looting rioters of last summer? Or, do we see it in the day-after-day sacrifices of the nurses and doctors, first responders, and other essential workers who bravely took on a global pandemic? It all depends on perspective. Too many of us have allowed the extreme voices of the political and cultural landscape to color our perspectives and our perceptions, to the point that it has become damned difficult to believe in anything, spiritual or otherwise.

Some have been caught up in the crowd-think that produces riots and mass hysteria, others have become cynical and angry and have lost the ability to trust institutions, leaders and each other.

In between are the optimists, who, God bless them, have kept the faith and have kept trudging forward in the belief that Right, Justice and Common Sense will win out.

We’re pulling for the optimists.

Every July this nation celebrates its founding, and we are always drawn—even now, in the face of divisive unrest—to feelings of pride and optimism. Even though the National Anthem has itself become a lightning rod of controversy, we cannot listen to it without getting goose bumps. It doesn’t matter if it is being played by a military band, or by Jimi Hendrix. The effect is almost always the same. Sure, the tune was purloined from a British drinking song and the lyrics may be a bit stilted (“America the Beautiful” is by far the more poetic of the two), but the musical cues of “The Star Spangled Banner” have the power to trigger something deep in anyone who truly feels they are part of this unique, 245-year experiment in human self rule. If that’s not spiritual, what is?

So, you may be wondering, what has all of this got to do with fishing and hunting?

Not much. Other than, July has come again with its yearly reminder to all Americans, including anglers and hunters, to appreciate this majestic land and its resources, and the freedoms we have been blessed with that allow us to enjoy them. Fireworks and barbecues are great. But the Fourth of July, like Thanksgiving, Veterans Day and Memorial Day, should also be a time for reflection and gratitude, for the great fortune that all Americans—no matter how they became American—share. We live in a nation that stretches across a breathtaking span of beauty and abundance, with countless examples of human creativity and ingenuity. These natural wonders and feats of human inspiration include the resources that allow outdoors sports to flourish. But these are blessings that require vigilance. We don’t need to Make America Great Again. We need to keep it great by remembering it is bigger than any single interest group or political ambition. Remember, and be thankful for it.

That’s the spirit!

E-mail Roy at rneves@fishgame.com and Ardia at aneves@fishgame.com