Making New Traditions & The Benefits of Social Connections

Social connections are imperative for health and longevity, especially as we age. Humor writer Jim Mize shares how he and a group of writers and outdoorsmen are making new traditions and fostering a strong sense of community.

“Three writers and an editor walk onto a boat” sounds like the opening line in a joke. Perhaps it qualifies, given that we spent most of the day laughing while we fished, took photos and worked on magazine stories. But what we started on that boat has carried on and might be something you would want to consider.

First, a little background 

Each year, the South Carolina Outdoor Press Association meets in a different part of the state so our members can gather information for stories, network and hold our annual association business. 

The group consists of people involved in all kinds of media, including writing, photography, editing, podcasting and social media. The first two days of the conference, we lined up local experts to take our members fishing, hunting, paddling and on other outdoor pursuits to get photos and information about the area.

On this particular trip, I was matched up with two other writers and an editor to fish for stripers with Captain Jason Wolfe on Lake Wateree. Then a hurricane forced us to reschedule when the lake became too rough to fish, so we met a few weeks later when the conditions improved.

Our trip began before daylight on an overcast morning that threatened drizzling rain. The group’s mood as the boat eased away from the launching ramp was about what you would expect on a dark, damp outing.

The comedy began once our guide set the lines, and we began drifting in search of striped bass. 

One of our writers has learned that if you want to take photos, you can’t be the one reeling in the fish. The rest of us learned that from him as well, so when the first rod went down, all of us were backing away from reeling in the fish.

Our guide couldn’t believe that he brought a bunch of fishermen onto the water who didn’t want to reel in fish. It became comical as we jockeyed for photo angles, but since someone had to be in the picture, we finally agreed to take turns.

By then, our guide was laughing along with us as he figured out what we were doing. But it was one of those moments that bonded us through laughter, and the rest of the day went by quickly.  We caught a lot of fish, took our photos and thoroughly enjoyed what we do for a living.

When the end of the day rolled around, one of us said what groups usually do after such a trip, “We should all do this again sometime.”

But before the moment could pass, another member followed up with, “All right, how about trout fishing in north Georgia in a few months?”

So, we set a date and convened in north Georgia to fly fish for trout.

The interesting thing about our foursome as anglers is that we probably cover the fishing gamut with our expertise, but no one person is the best at catching all kinds of fish. 

Some of us know a bit about trout fishing, others know catfish and stripers, and so on. That means, no matter what we pursue, we have both novices and experts in our group. We alternate as teachers and students. And we laugh while we learn.

Oddly enough, at my most recent physical, I learned that what we are doing is actually good for me. At my age, it’s rare to discover I can improve my health by doing something I like, but that’s exactly the case here.

In the questionnaire before my exam, I had to answer a whole section of questions about social interaction. Apparently, as we age, we can become reclusive, spending less time with others, which can lead to a variety of illnesses.

The National Institute on Aging, for example, lists numerous studies showing that social isolation contributes to higher risks of both physical and mental conditions. Among these are high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, anxiety and depression. 

Living in a rural area, I could go days without seeing anyone

To compensate, I belong to a couple of local groups that meet weekly or monthly. But this gathering of anglers is different. Our band of four convenes simply for the fun of it.

I’ll add that none of our group would pass for spring chickens. Our youngest member has set his retirement date in a few months, and we go up in age from there.

Admittedly, meeting once or twice a year to fish probably doesn’t sound like a lot, but we stay in touch, find ways to gather to plan trips and spend quiet evenings contemplating our next destination. 

Just anticipating these trips gives us something good to think about, compared to many less pleasant alternatives. And our paths cross at our annual media event, where we set dates for that next outing.

If I’ve learned anything from this experience, it’s that traditions don’t always get to be carried on from the distant past

Someone had to start them and carry them on from there.  At some point, every tradition was new.

So, if you have a few friends who enjoy getting together to fish, golf, play pickleball or lounge on the beach and read, I’d recommend turning the activity into a tradition rather than something you all agree you should do sometime. It’s good for your health and frame of mind.

Besides, who would have thought “three writers and an editor walk onto a boat” would have turned into anything besides a punchline?

Source for National Institute on Aging reference:  https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks