THEY CALLED ME “MR. JONATHAN”
Originally published in Western Outdoor News the Week of June 3, 2011
You get only one chance at this.
Doing what we do here in La Paz running a fishing business and restaurant, we get to watch alot of folks.
For example…
Several days ago here in La Paz, a family of five arrived to stay at the hotel we live at here in town. Mom and dad; a younger boy; an older girl and a young teenage boy. “Family vacation” time.
But, other than the time I saw them pile out’ve the airport shuttle into the hotel lobby, that was the last time I’ve seen them together. Dad’s snorkeling. Mom’s at the spa. One kid sits in the lounge with headsets to an iPod. The younger one seems glued to some electronic hand-held game. The teen just wanders around looking lost and bored. I don’t think I’ve even seen them eat together.
And then there’s this other family. . .
For the past few days, Outdoor TV host, Chad Schearer has been filming for his popular Outdoor Channel TV show, “Shoot Straight.” http://www.shootstraighttv.com/index.php .
Usually, Chad can be found with a rifle or bow in hand traversing the world with a camera following him around or perhaps you’ve seen him at the hundreds of seminars or speaking engagements he’s done around the country.
He’s an outfitter and guide to stars and celebrities. I don’t have the space to list all his accomplishments and despite his resume, he’s about as soft-spoken and easy-going as it gets. But I think his biggest and proudest accomplishments might be his family.
You see, he travels with his family. His wife, Marsha, is a licensed ouftitter, guide and hunter herself. She rolls camera when Chad is stalking a grizzly bear with a blackpowder rifle or drawing his bow on an African antelope. She also home schools two great kids…10-year-old Walker and 8-year-old Wyatt. They all hunt. They all fish. Being from Montana, they’re a little bit like “Little House on the Prarie” family.
The four of them along with Chad’s mom and dad have been fishing with us for the better part of the week to film their TV show. Three generations who not only vacation together, but genuinely like each other.
How refreshing to hear youngsters address their parents with, “Yes, Ma’am” and “Yes, Sir.” Not like robotic recruits in boot camp or boarding school, but out of genuine respect. I’m called “Mr. Jonathan.” They call my wife, “Ms. Jill.”
Among the family I hear “thank you” and “please” and their enthusiasm and smiles are infectious to everyone around them. And selflessness.
I hear them say things like, “I’m going to put my rod down now because I’d like my brother to have a chance to catch a fish and I already caught a big one.” Or, “I need to remind grandpa to drink enough water so he doesn’t get too hot.”
After the older brother caught a big dorado, he came up to me un-solicited and said, “Thanks for helping me catch that fish. It was great!” And he held out his fist to give me a knuckle bump. Just like that. Thanking ME for helping him catch a fish? Wow.
During one of the few downtimes when the fish gave us a break, Chad and I both mentioned our childhoods and how our respective parents didn’t have much but made a point of getting us outside and into the outdoors.
It’s a common thread we share with many of our fellow brothers and sisters who love the outdoors. It started with our parents who lovingly “kicked or dragged us away and out of the house and stuck around to actually share the experience with us until it grew on us. If you’re reading this in Western Outdoor News, my blog or some other outdoor publication, you understand. You already have an interest in the outdoors.
We’re losing a generation of kids to the “distractions” of electronic toys, technology and social networking where we “tweet”, “twitter,” “my space” and “facebook” even our own family members instead of just stepping outside with each other. I’m just as guilty.
Your kid might not especially like fishing or hunting, but find something outside that doesn’t involve being plugged-in or battery operated. You get one chance with each other. That’s it. We pass this way once with the ones we love…our parents..our kids…our friends. Thanks to the Schearer family, I’m reminded that my name isn’t “dude” or “bro.” It’s “Mr. Jonathan.” I liked how that sounded. Especially from a 10-year-old.
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife, Jill, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter-international.com. They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront. If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com or drop by the restaurant to say hi!
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