Thank all again, and lets make St. Judes Auction a success this year, even in poor ecconomic times. I would like to leave you with a quote from the "Return to Blanco Canyon" chapter in my book:
"A hunter can control very little in the natural world. I did not feel helpless, but nonetheless still sought to manage my emotions and come to terms with the undesirable outcome I was dealt. With no one there to discuss what just happened to me that morning, I walked the twenty yards to the bull’s bed and lay my hand on the compressed soil to feel his warmth. His odor hung heavy in the air and I drew it in my nose to further connect with the beast that narrowly escaped my draw. Sitting against an aspen tree, I stretched my legs across the elk’s bed and just let my mind drift with thoughts other than elk.
I wondered what my wife and kids were doing, I hoped all was going smoothly at home in my absence. I am truly blessed to have an understanding family that accepts my life’s passion for the hunt. My wife Paula understood my love for the outdoors long before we married, and she has never tried to change me. I would not be able to tromp around the wilderness for two or three weeks at a time without a love based on mutual trust. Some of her friends would ask her, referring to me, “Why do you let Mike go on all those hunting trips while you have to stay home with the kids?” Paula took great pride in her reply, “Mike can come and go as he wishes. His joy is my joy. We have uncompromising trust. I get to go on vacations with my sisters in Florida or Texas and I don’t worry at all about Mike taking care of the kids while I’m gone. Don’t get me wrong, we do miss each other while we're apart, but that just makes us appreciate each other that much more. Giving someone a gift makes the giver feel good as well. I feel great about giving Mike a gift of time to hunt. I only ask that he brings me back something; and he usually does. I feel sorry for other couples that don’t have the kind of love and relationship that we have.” Marriages bent on forced changes, control, and guilt usually don’t last long. It’s quiet times of reflection that I crave..." Mike
Topic: Mike Mitten's wife passes (Read 3707 times)
