I was never good at fishing. Growing up, I would spend time with my extended family at their lakehouse. We would take the boat for boat rides, go water tubing, and of course, go fishing. I’m not sure how it happened, but one moment I was holding the fishing pole, and the next moment, it was skidding across the water and sinking to the bottom of Waitts Lake. From that moment on, I was only allowed to use the cheap $5 Barbie fishing pole. That’s ok, though, because I caught a fish using that pole! It’s a simple concept: cast your line and reel in the fish. But fishing is hard work. Why? Because it takes patience, perseverance, and skill.

Brady loves to fish. Sitting on a boat in the calm of morning, with a fishing pole in hand. The water so still, it looks like a pane of glass. Simply embracing nature, the quiet, and peace. If you can’t find him, he’s probably on a boat somewhere reeling in the catch of the day. Not only does he love fishing, but he also loves learning: learning how to fish, learning about fish, learning to get better at fishing, and just… well, learning.

Learning is incredible, too, because it also requires patience, perseverance, and skill. Patience – to learn things right the first time. Perseverance – to continue learning when you don’t understand. And skill to figure out how you learn best. Brady, it was an honor to spend an evening with you and learning from you. Graduating high school is no easy task. You certainly have patience, perseverance, and a desire to learn. We hope these pictures inspire you to follow your dreams, whether it’s to be a human resources manager or the best fishing guide on the planet! Congrats, grad!