The Fisherman

The stoic character of a fisherman. The character who says little and spends a lot of the time staring out to sea. Now what inspiration are we finding here.

I have been reading a book about introverts and finding it quite enlightening. It has, for me, help me understand some basic human traits which sometimes are not highly regarded. We live in a time where a person is encourage to stand up for themselves to speak out and demand the justice owned to them. To be confidence in the extreme about what is imporant to them.

I come from a family where I think the introvert personality trait runs deep. We are happy individuals but we just don't like to shout about things. We are happy to do well but feel uncomfortable under the spotlight of well wishers and supporter. I have always put myself down for not wanting to be in the school play, or present to the world the latest best thing. I have beaten myself up for my "lack of confidence" but now I feel more at ease with myself. I recognise that I do not crave the attention of other and I am happy with some limited recognition for work well done.

In the light of this dawning understanding of the nature of the introver reminded me of mum and a particular time. Mum had stopped work when we all came along. After some time off work, and when we had grown up some, she wanted to get back to work. First, she wanted to brush up on some of her skills. She had been a very good short-hand typist, so she had enrolled on a course to prepare herself to go back to work. We were all excited to help mum, particulary because it was now our turn to help her practise her skills. We would read passages to her which she would write out in short-hand. She would then take her short-hand and type this up. We were very impressed. We felt very please to be able to help her. We were also very excited to know how she was getting on and when she was tested we were keen to know how she had got on. Well, she sailed through the tests, getting top marks for all her skills. This was great but then she stopped asking us to practise. We were disappointed. We like the fact we had helped her do so well but mum stopped practising with us and we never knew why. We found out much later that mum did not like the attention she was getting for being top of he class - classic introvert.

Where is this going, the fisherman thing - well. My grandad, mum's dad, was a keen photographer. Him and mum's two older brothers Jack and Vincent would often blackout the family's one and only bathroom to develop their own picture. I have a large collection of pictures from their time. The family were often subjected to - sit down and be still while I take a picture. Now in the 1940 - 1960 this was a lot more of an ordeal that it is today with camera phones and snap-chatting. Anyway, there is one image that struck me the most. Not just because my grandad used it to do earlier "photoshopping". He used this picture of himself and through some technique - either slicing up negatives or double exposing paper or other, he managed to get pictures of himself in a great number of famous locations without ever moving out of Scotland.

Anyway, this picture is of grandad in that pose of staring off into the distance, pipe in hand. The picture of a thoughtful man. The picture of a fisherman. A man of great thought, consideration, contemplation and of ver few words. This one interpretation of the picture, summed up the man himself. The classic introvert. Deep in thought. Important decisions to be made. Few words spoken.

How many unspoken stories are there about great thinkers that have never been written and never been heard. The Fisherman would be a story to celebrate all great Fishermen. Those individuals who quietly, stoicly, thoughfully making the right decisions at the right time for those that depend on them. No statues in their name. No ballads about their deeds.