Last year my dad and I had the privilege of filling a vacant spot in the Project Healing Waters Two Fly tournament at the Rose River Farm in Syria, Virginia. Project Healing Waters is a wonderful organization that gets veterans involved in fly fishing as part of the physical and emotional rehabilitation process from being at war. The Two Fly Tournament is a fundraiser where veterans, assisted by professional guides from around the country, compete in a beautiful setting on the Rose River. There is also an “average joes” section of the tournament for amateurs. We are thrilled to have the opportunity return again for another truly meaningful weekend.
The Sunday tournament is preceded by a banquet dinner on Saturday night. The veterans competing in the tournament arrive with a full motorcycle escort provided by the Freedom Riders. Many share their stories of service, injury or wounding, and subsequent recovery, aided in part by the efforts of Project Healing Waters. A keynote speaker concludes the ceremony with remarks on the important role fly fishing has played in their life and the lives of veterans they know. Last year featured federal judge Thomas F. Hogan, with a message on the healing role fly fishing can play in all of our lives.
He tells the story about how he was mentored in fly fishing by a severely wounded veteran at the Naval base where his father was stationed. From his initial shock at the man’s condition, the two grew to be close friends, and Hogan is forever grateful for the guidance provided by this crippled but optimistic soul.
Hogan then introduces an Italian word, quisisana, a place where one goes to be healed, or to heal oneself. I can think of no better way to describe the healing effect of fly fishing. From the rhythmic motion of the cast and the careful concentration required to tie knots and control your drift, to the soothing sound of the babbling stream and the accomplishment felt when the trout rises to your fly, the sport truly transports us far away from the troubles in life to a place that restores one’s spirit. While I cannot claim to have gone through anything that is close to as harrowing as armed combat, I will vouch for the sense of peace and calm that fly fishing provides against the stresses in my life. I can only imagine that the benefit is that much greater and that much more soothing for those who have risked so much.
I will have one or two more write ups on this weekend, but in the meantime, check out the Project Healing Waters website and see if you can get involved in a nearby event. Invite a veteran on your next trip to the stream, or just volunteer to take out someone you know who is experiencing hard times in their life Let them know what it’s like to arrive at quisisana.