The Mexican Fisherman
I’m embarrassed to admit that I only recently read the Mexican Fisherman story. A tale about an American tourist and his encounter with a fisherman at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village town. One version of the story goes like this:
“An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, ‘only a little while.’ The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, ‘but what do you do with the rest of your time?’
The Mexican fisherman said, ‘I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.’ The American scoffed, ‘I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.’
The Mexican fisherman asked, ‘But, how long will this all take?’
To which the American replied, ‘15 – 20 years.’
‘But what then?’ asked the Mexican.
The American laughed and said, ‘That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!’
‘Millions – then what?’
The American said, ‘Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.’”
It all comes full circle. A return to an original state. I thought about this story a lot during a recent motorcycle trip to the Uinta Mountain range in Northern Utah. Success can be hard to define as people search for more purpose and meaning in their daily routines. Many of us work for years to build a career climbing rungs of a ladder on an endless pursuit for more. A hamster in a wheel comes to mind.
Two wheels can change your perspective. Riding a motorcycle gets you back to a simpler way of life. Plot a route, check the weather, ration your fuel and travel to your destination. You can stop whenever you want at a roadside overlook to enjoy the spectacular views. On the trip, you need to shift gears, control the clutch, lean into turns, counter balance the bike at different speeds, and keep an eye out for random cattle crossing the road. The raw experience of riding a motorcycle is humbling and exhilarating at the same time.
Antelope Pass Vista, Marble Canyon, Arizona
Unpredictability creates a memorable adventure when climate control is based on mother nature’s mood, a tent with a rain-fly and a campfire. A warm sleeping bag and stocking cap can help counter the cold nights in the desert. Mornings are about waking up to the sounds of wildlife and the rays of sunlight at the crack of dawn. Somehow the challenge of motorcycle travel in harsher conditions with minimal distractions connects you to the land in a way like no other mode of transportation can. The days are longer, the nights are more restful and there are no ‘to-do’s' except to get back on the road to continue your journey. An experience that yields more peace and solace than anything Amazon Prime can deliver. We’ll never know whether the parable of the Mexican Fisherman was a true story or not. Nevertheless, a similar lesson can be learned on a motorcycle trip whenever you choose.
Starlight Camping, Kanab, Utah.
