Serfin!

Sunday morning I finally got out in the water after just over a months hiatus due to the insanely busy season at work. Head-high glassy peaks up and down the coast, and me with no paddling strength in me after being high and dry for so long. The water was warm(ish) and at this point I could have just run and ducked my head in the water and felt good.

Sitting outside I focus on breathing, cleansing all the accumulated stress, and worries that stack up, one on top of the other the longer I'm out of the water. We're coming into the slow season at work, will I still be able to provide for my family? Levi's first birthday is coming up, how is he doing, am I raising him in a way that will leave him ready to face the world on his own terms... birthday party in less than a month, lots of people coming and I haven't finished the back yard yet, need to get those roots out, clean the weeds, fix the deck, paint his room... The onslaught of thoughts keeps coming, then its gone again with the next wave.

Its a little frustrating being so sporadic in my surfing, I'm one of those people that has to get out regularly to keep a skill level up and every time I go a month out of the water it feels like I'm starting over. Luckily with my advanced years I've come to know two things. One is that when you lose physical strength or skill, you still have your mind, and being in the right state, being patient when you paddle out and choosing the right waves, you can make up for a lot of weak paddling muscles. The second thing is remembering why I surf. I don't surf to be the next Kelly Slater, shoot, I'm in my 30's now (sweet, I can say that). I surf because I enjoy it, and it has 100% positive effects on me, physically, mentally, emotionally, there's few things that benefit so many areas of ones life. Being in the water, bobbing up and down with the swells, I barely even notice the hundred or so of my closest friends int he water, as is always the case when the waves are good in Southern California. My mind is cleared, I feel good, refreshed, ready to go another month if neccessary, but I certainly hope not that long.

Thank you Sweetheart, for encouraging me to go surf.