This annual Christmas column is my open letter to that serviceman or servicewoman home from the fight. This is my invitation to you, my small token gift: Please allow me to serve you in appreciation for your service this country. Today I am a one-man kayak warrior foundation and this is my attempt to re-connect you with the water, a paddle and a deeply bent fishing rod for a day. Maybe you are down. Sidelined. On the mend. Maybe you are feeling like you are in a bit of a fog, like the mornings I have been paddling through most days this week. Or maybe you are 100 percent rock solid and you know that your buddy, son, daughter or brother home from serving just needs a day on the water together with you. I just want to know, can you/he/she hold a fishing rod or a paddle? If not, hell, I‘ll tow you. Are you willing to trade your desert or woodland digital camo for a few hours in board shorts, a fishing shirt and a camo kayak?

One last question: Would you believe me if I told you that just one day on the water can change your life? Seen it happen more than once. Plus, on the positive side again, I have yet to lose a client to a shark, alligator or jet skier (even though we have targeted one another on occasion). I for one am a believer in the benefits of physical activity, even a relatively benign challenge of kayak paddling, hardly any comparison to military p.t. I also have those days when it seems like the best thing — the only thing — you can do is to keep your head down and just keep putting one paddle stroke after another. Paddling heals all.