'The Zone' and other diversions

You may recall the movie ‘A River Runs Through it’ directed by Robert Redford. I have just finished the autobiographical short story written by Norman Maclean that was the basis of that Oscar winning movie. It is a magnificent piece of writing that meanders through the lives of two brothers, their father, and their connection with each other and fishing. Maclean is clearly enamoured with the beautiful but frustrating art of fly fishing – as am I.

Towards the end of the book, the author is reliving a brilliant but prophetic day of fishing on the Big Blackfoot River in Montana. It was ultimately the last time the three men fished together, and Maclean poignantly describes the state of being intensely aware of ones surrounding environment, yet totally focussed on fishing. He proposes the most perfect of phrases: -

‘Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it’

I relate this as fishing’s version of ‘The Zone’, and have experienced this feeling many times on a babbling mountain stream, endeavouring to decipher its secrets. That elusive Zen-like state that we strive for in life, where we are acutely attuned to everything around us, yet myopically focussed on the task at hand. Periods of calm observation and reflection; punctuated by flashes of high drama where the universe converges into a moment. It is a state that we mere mortals experience all too infrequently, but is exquisitely exhilarating once achieved. I am certain that each of us can remember the setting for our own moments of sporting or other 'perfection' with surprising detail and in Technicolor splendour.

Rooted in medieval Latin, the word ‘diversion’ is often used to describe such pleasurable pursuits. In fact the Italian word for fun is ‘divertimento’; which is what fun really is, a diversion from our everyday lives. Sport in all its many forms is my perfect diversion, but it is not such an exclusive club as that. Maclean’s insightful phrase could be so easily and universally translated with the simple substitution of the word ‘river’ to suit any number of settings. The word ‘fairway’ springs readily to mind, perhaps because fly fishing and golf dispense both pain and pleasure at similar dosages!

However, the thing I really love about Maclean’s story, is his exploration of the way a shared love or pursuit can put differences aside and bind us together. These positive diversions are a powerful foil to overcome diversity and reframe perspectives.

Facebook and LinkedIn may have commercialised our contact lists, but it is our authentically shared experiences and common pursuits that bridge diversity and bind us together in a durable way. The way I look at it, is that this mosaic of interlocking groups constructs a healthy society, one that can withstand to be stretched and pressured, but will spring back into shape unbroken. 

Any worthwhile relationship will wither and die without proper care and attention, and we must continually invest both as individuals and as a collective to keep them flourishing. It’s something I need to keep working on, to correctly value these relationships; not just the fleeting moments of connection, but the structure they bring to our lives. Surely this is infrastructure worthy of our investment.