River Mantra

South Toe River, Burnsville, NC — Photo by Elizabeth Helmich

It was long after daybreak but still early enough to worry, just a little, about the black bears and hope they’d finished their morning rounds. I was, after all, walking along their regular path between the rhododendrons to find the perfect spot to cast my line in.

The river was frigid and wild as a mountain river should be. I’d missed the constant tug on the rod that’s easy to mistake for a fish. There’s such peace in the simple act of…