For several decades, Dad and I fished a lot of Sierra streams, and Oak Creek just north of Independence may top the list of favorites. The water flow remained consistent for spring to fall angling, and while they had developed campsites, you could camp anywhere on the stream—just be neat. I still remember landing my first big trout there as a mid-teen: 16” and a fat 1 ½ lbs. Then troubles afflicted Oak. Whirling disease hit in 1984, stopping all stocking of rainbow trout, but some good browns remained, and the trailhead continued to give good results. Then a 2007 fire incinerated all the trees and brush from the trailhead nearly to Highway 395, and north for miles.
The next year a microburst dropped 7.6” of rain in one day, where 5” for the year was typical. A mudslide scoured the stream bed itself, causing a mudslide that ruined downstream houses and laid half a mile of mud over 395. Before, the stream was just below the ground grade, now it was 10 ft. below. No trees for cover, no paths to the stream far below. Unfishable.
On a 2020 Father’s Day solo trip, I fished all of our signature streams on the way home, and Oak Creek surprised me. A friend mentioned a spot he’d caught some on, and I picked up two. Small, and I hope they grow to a better size. Oak has not recovered its prowess as a fishing stream, but it’s returning. Maybe my grandsons can fully enjoy it. But signs of restoration encouraged me.
Let me suggest Oak Creek provides an example for us. We all we get damaged. We all get hurt by others. We all have relationships go sour. And living in COVID times…well, the list can go on. But living in a fallen world means we struggle, we have losses, so how do we find restoration? How do we get back on track? Oak gives four suggestions.
1. Believe we can be restored. Frankly, in 2008, I thought Oak would never be fishing worthy in my lifetime. I gave up hope, but maybe we need to trust that God knows his stuff and works for good in all things.
2. Cherish the relentlessness of life. This gives us some motivation to yearn for more. In the Sierras, I’ve seen decent-sized trees growing out of a small crack in a large boulder. I’ve pulled weeds just to come back an hour later and find new ones. Have that attitude—life goes on and keeps going. Oak is returning.
3. Acknowledge the damage. Pretending we’re not keeps us from getting restored. For sins we did, confess them to God and the people we’ve wronged. And build a strategy to change that behavior. If someone sinned against us, forgive them—sincerely, so we can move past it. For times when life just happens, once more craft a strategy and grow.
4. Patiently trust the process. 12 years after the damage to Oak, I finally see some results from the natural processes God designed. Healing and restoration take time, so invest for the long haul and resist allowing the thought, “I’ve had enough of this” to remain.
Kick Starting the Application
How do you typically respond when you face loss or damage? Do you feel tempted to give up hope? What most spoke to you about this overall post? Do you have an issue now where you could use these four steps?