"𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 is gonna be worth it?" I asked Daniel as we were sat in a small wooden rowing boat that was floating along the water, fishing rods in hand. "Isabelle, can you trust me? Sometimes things take patience." He softly replied to me, I nodded and tried to remain patience. Another five minutes passed by and I was still struggling to catch anything, at this point I'd usually have a drink and calm my nerves but there was nothing I could do on this boat. "It's useless!" I huffed, putting the rod down. "Hey, hey. You can't pick up things straight away, it's about taking time and learning that not everything can happen quickly. Downfalls and knock backs are normal. I know you're taught that it's a weakness, but it's actually healthy to experience these things." My dad gently explained to me, I looked over to him, taking in what he said.
"So, you think that if I don't let this get to me and overcome it, it'll make me stronger?" I questioned him and he nodded, "Exactly." He replied softly. "Why don't you try fish once more and if it doesn't work or you don't want to, we can take a break from it." LaRusso suggested, I wasn't used to a fatherly figure being so kind to me. I was used to there being a double meaning with everything, but dads intentions seemed genuine. "Okay, I'll try." I agreed, casting my rod with his help again. This time, instead of getting angry, I tried to be patient and I almost got a bite. "Hey woah I almost got one, I swear the rod moved more!" I said, a small smile on my face. "Hey well done!" He smiled to me, putting his own rod into the lake. "Thanks." I smiled, looking to him as we fished. "So, why do you do this?" I wondered. "What do you mean Isabelle?" He asked. "The fishing, the calmer side of karate. I mean it seems better than smashing stuff up but like what do you get out of it?" I pondered, I was kinda interested to get why he does this shit. I always thought karate was all about offence and bringing others pain.
"Can we put the rods down and talk for a minute?" Dad asked and I nodded doing so. I shuffled around in the boat, turning to face him and fiddling with my sleeves. It was a nervous habit I'd grown recently, if only I could get my hands on some vodka. "It's okay Izzy, you don't need to be scared around me." Daniel assured me, I pulled my sleeves over my hands and confidently said, "I'm not though." I quickly let go of my sleeves and tried to push my anxieties down. I knew I didn't deserve his kindness and worried what he was going to say. Was I going to get judged? Was I wasting my time? Should I just go back to what I knew? "You're allowed to be scared, its a natural emotion. You don't have to be worrying that you're going to look a certain way because of it." He calmly said to me yet I struggled to believe him. I didn't realise how brain washed I'd been.
