I got home from my 14-day fishing trip yesterday. We drove two days down and two days back to San Diego, where we went out on a ten-day fishing trip on a 100-foot boat. I caught about 20 fish total, including yellow fin tuna, Dorado, yellow tail, wahoo, ling cod, and rock fish. It was a very enjoyable trip with lots of new experiences. I fish a lot and usually do well, but this was a new fishing experience for me, and I think I caught the fewest number of fish of anybody of the 25 other people on the boat, including two ladies, so I went from the world’s best fisherman to the worst!

With the boat constantly rocking back and forth from the waves, you adapt by walking with your feet spread apart and swaying in time with the boat. The most challenging place to manage the rocking was in the shower, with my eyes closed. I managed to keep from falling while showering, but came close several times. Now that I am home, I am still walking like I am on the boat, and last night in the shower, I found myself swaying back and forth.

One characteristic of those with wisdom and character is their ability to adjust quickly to different situations and environments. It isn’t that we compromise or become phonies; instead, we recognize which behaviors foster unity and strengthen our witness among diverse groups and kinds of people.

It didn’t take long on the boat to discover that most of those on board were very wealthy and made this fishing trip at least once a year, and many several times each year. I think my friend Scott and I were the only first-timers on the boat, and I found myself constantly being scolded and coached by the others around me on how to fish. With 25 people all fishing at once around the boat as it drifted and turned in the current, you had to adjust to the others around you; it was almost like dancing. I regularly got tangled up with others because I was out of step, and I got scolded for it. At first, I was very intimidated by this, but I soon learned that they enjoyed coaching and teaching me if I responded in humility as a learner. I asked one of the guys if I could buy a 12-ounce weight from him, and he gave me three and said his payment was watching me work hard at learning to fish.