[August 16, 2023] When my brother was five, and I was seven, my father took us on a three-day camping trip down the Sabine River on the Texas-Louisiana border. This would be a “man’s trip,” talking man things, my dad getting to know us better, fishing, cooking over a campfire, sleeping under the open sky, and floating downstream with a meandering river current. And it was to be our first time away from home overnight. It was to be our grand adventure. It was about our family; specifically, it was about learning to be a man.
For my dad, the family was everything, and that also meant teaching his two boys how to control our tempers and frustrations, behavior limits, how to treat women, how to protect yourself and others, to properly fight with your fists, to tell the truth, being a good Christian (and Biblical stories), and most importantly what responsibilities you had as a young man. Best of all, on this trip, dad was going to show us his secrets on how to catch fish, which was super cool. I could see in my mind, pulling a giant wide-mouth bass out of the river with my fishing pole.
And it certainly was an adventure. For us two boys, we were about to learn what camping was all about, the good and the bad. We were about to learn about ourselves too, unexpectedly so. My dad was a good planner. We had food, water, fishing gear, a flat boat (on its trailer), and various supplies. My dad brought it all. Yes, he was that good. Dad must have spent weeks planning our trip and talking with mom about it so she was fully on board, and so she would encourage us and tell us not to be afraid. And we weren’t scared at all.
The first day meant getting out of bed before sunrise, loading the car, and taking off westward across the state. We floated maybe 20 miles that first day, fishing off the sides of the boat, lazily drifting our way downriver. We saw people fishing from the bank and in small boats. And a few swimmers close to the banks of the river. There were a few small towns we passed. People would smile and wave at us. This was the life it was meant to be. It was relaxing and yet exciting because this was all new for us. I remember thinking, “Wow, dad is the best dad ever.” And I was right.
Landing on the river bank that afternoon, we stopped to prepare for the night. Dad set up our sleeping areas since neither my brother nor I knew how. Then it was time to gut the fish we caught (yuk) and cook them over an open fire. They were the best fish I ever tasted (yum). We must’ve fallen asleep right there by the campfire. I woke up in the middle of the night, and I remember it was hot. And then the mosquitoes came zooming in. We were eaten alive. We got precious little sleep. And it was the sunburn that was uncomfortable too.
Groggy from lack of a good night’s sleep and feeling like my mom’s pin cushion from bug bites, we were up early with the morning sun and drooling for the pancakes and bacon my dad was cooking over an open fire. We packed up and jumped in the boat. Two more days of camping, fishing, cooking, and talking. Lots of talking. I got to know my dad, and maybe that was the point. That was a great trip, and I’ll never forget the wonderful time with my dad and brother. As well, the trip helped change my view of the world in a positive way. And it took my dad’s desire and determination to take us an old-fashioned, traditional, “man’s trip” down the Sabine River.
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NOTE: For all Letters to My Granddaughter, go to this link here.
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I just commented on No. 19 that I think this is one of your better series and that finding your way as a child is one of the more important things a young boy can do with his life. This camping trip surely made a lasting impression. Good for boy Gen. S.
Reading your article last year on camping with your dad. You and I like Cowboys and Yankees. Neither team are doing well making it to the championship. The life lessons he taught you help you pass along to your granddaughter . She’s have appreciation for her papa ❤️.
Hey, sir. Do you really know Gen. Satterfield? You are very fortunate. 🇺🇸
Love this series the best. Never stop writing these letters. I’m learning more about Gen. Satterfield growing up and how his adventures made him who he is. Good info.
Another excellent article on a now long-running series. “Letters to My Granddaughter” will surely be a hit among those who have families. If you want a family and you want to see how it is that kids can overcome adversity, then read this series. No matter how good the Satterfield ‘men’ had it, they never forgot to give thanks to the Lord for what they were given.
Hi Mr. Kennedy, wonderful to see you reading Gen. Satterfield’s blog and commenting. I look forward to your next article. Keep up the great works you are doing.
Big fan of yours Mr. EMKIII. thanks for what you do.
You nailed it Randy.
Keep this series going, Gen. Satterfield. BTW, I’m sending them out to my daughters who are grown now and will shortly be married and have children, in that order. Fingers crossed.
Gen. Satterfield has put together a new series that helps us look inside the mind of a young child that would grow up and be a wonderfully successful leader of men and women in combat. What made him who he is? Certainly, his parents paid a pivotal role. And in the example he gives here, is what is often dismissed or overlooked. Gen. S’s father put together a river trip for his two boys, showing them how to fish, gut and clean fish, cook, create a fire, and ignore the bugs and heat to focus on the best of the trip. This is the classic story of how a father creates great sons who go on to do great things. In this case, we are happy it worked out well. Gen. Satterfield’s father is to be saluted and thanked by all.
A Tribute to Daddy
https://www.theleadermaker.com/a-tribute-to-daddy/
‘Nuff said
Jerry, yes, this was a wonderful article that Gen. Satterfield wrote and published two days after the passing of his father last year. If I remember correctly, his mother had passed away just a couple of weeks prior. This was a great loss to the Satterfield family. But his mom and dad will forever be remembered for what they did to help their kids out and learn to right way to conduct themselves and be good men, and women.
Yep, loved the article too.
A trip down the Sabine River.’
And it took my dad’s desire and determination to take us an old-fashioned, traditional, “man’s trip” down the Sabine River.
Should be a book like the Tom Sawyer novel.
I’m beginning to see these stories as a window not into the past of Gen. Satterfield and that he grew up poor but that these are the adventures that made him into the successful military leader that he is today. Great comments too, BTW.
These are the kind of stories I love. 💖✔✔✔✔
…… and we are praying that these stories continue. Bless General Doug Satterfield.
A true adventure:
“Groggy from lack of a good night’s sleep and feeling like my mom’s pin cushion from bug bites, we were up early with the morning sun and drooling for the pancakes and bacon my dad was cooking over an open fire.” — Gen. Doug Satterfield, as a young boy
Gen. Satterfield, just wanted to let you know that I’ve been really taking your “letters to my granddaughter” to heart and started writing them for my future grandchildren. You are an inspiration and thank you so very much for the idea. I’m sure they will love to hear about me, not so much me but why I did certain things and why I had five children and raised them to be wonderful adults and also have children of their own one day.
Girlfriend, you are all over this and thanks for raising five children. It is so hard today to compete against the gender ideology teachers are pushing on kids.
Exactly, get involved in your school where your children are and get your neighbors to go with you and speak up at school boards. I’m a woman so the FBI is less likely to target me than my husband. Why is this? The FBI is targeting those like us who want a say in our kids education and the FBI like their communist leader Christopher Wray, want to declare us “terrorists” for just being for our kids.
Yes, thank you Liz.
Gen. Satterfield is giving us a true gift of how to make ourselves better. And, yes, it takes a few bug bites, sunburn, and cuts and scrapes to make it memorable and rewarding. Let’s all thank him and his dad for what he did to give his two sons.
Great comments today.
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