This morning the surf was big, or at least big to me. I usually surf 2-3 foot waves (trust me, that's bigger than it sounds) and when I saw 4 to 6 foot swells crashing on the shore I was hesitant to say the least. I paddled from the Ventura Marina north towards the pier, checking to see if the surf was smaller. It wasn't, so decided to give it a go near one of the jettys.With no other surfers around to see my terrible skills, and just a few fishermen on shore to help me if I were to need any, I waited for a good wave. After letting a set of big waves crash through I picked what I thought was a smaller wave. It wasn't.
As the wave rolled beneath me as I paddles to catch it, my board, being 11'1" long, pearled, meaning the nose dug in and over I went. It's not a lot of fun when you are tossed in the water with an 11', 25 lb, pointed wooden object that also has three sharp fins on it chasing you over the falls. Instinctively I put my hands up near my face and just let the water rag doll me around. Thankfully I came up uninjured (last week my fin caught my shin and despite my 3mm wetsuit it took a nice chunk of flesh from my shin). I had to wait at least five minutes for the set to roll through before I could paddle back out.
After that not so fun experience, I headed back towards the marina, debating on trying to catch another wave or just head in. At the cove, where I surf often, the waves were still big, but I decided to try and catch a few waves on the shoulder, where it's not so steep.
I said to myself I'll just catch one wave and go in. I caught a wave and had a decent ride on it, making one nice long turn. Here's the catch; I had to catch another one. Whether it's the success and thrill of catching a wave, especially for an amateur like me, my desire to get better (I'll only do that by catching more waves) or the fact that it was a struggle just to get back out, I can't say. All I know is that I wanted to catch another one. Badly.
I stayed out, letting the bigger waves roll under me, though some I think I should have taken. Picking two more waves, I caught both and had pretty good rides. Even then, it was hard to point the board toward the marina and head back home.
I know there will be more waves and more opportunities, but when the current moment presents an opportunity, I find myself having to take it. Maybe that's because the first sentence in this paragraph is not a give. I don't know if I'll have those opportunities again; your life can change in an instant you never saw coming. Not that you should be fearful, but every time I leave my house for a bike ride, I am distinctly conscious of the fact that my safe return is not a given. Heck, even driving to work or going to the grocery store can have consequences.
The key is to know that those consequences exist and can come at any moment and still go out and do the things that need to be done, like getting milk, and that you like to do, like riding bikes or surfing. I think it's a balance, like a good surfer, to live in the moment but also responsibly. If you live everyday like it's your last, would you really go to work, write that email, or clean the garage? Of course not, yet those are parts of everyday life. For me, it's really about appreciating that moment for what it is, recognizing it, and remembering that you're not guaranteed this will ever happen again. That makes those moments worth remembering so memorable. It doesn't have to be a sport or even an outdoor activity. It can be dinner with your spouse or friends, a vacation get together or just a random event. Just be cognizant of the moment and you'll know it.
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