it's really kind of odd

I've been surfing for over 50 years.
The other morning as I walked my dog
on the beach and was watching and checking
the surf, a stange thought struck me. Surfers
are really an odd group.  As I watched the
tiny swell coming out of the south being
groomed by the wind it struck me…
We fashion and live our lives around wind
born energy moving through the ocean so
we can use planks to ride the wave.

We has strong feelings about slabs of
wood, foam, or some other manmade
material.  We have intimate feelings for
various shapes and designs…is it long or
short?...  round or pointed?…thick or
thin?... what shape do it's edges have?
it's bottom, what curves and contours does
it use?  All designed to ride a wind born
wave…

We have tried to organize our lives in a
manner that provides us with as many
opportunities to ride these energy waves as
we can.Many of our friendships have been
formed with others who share this odd passion,
almost all-consuming pursuit. Many of
our relationships influenced by it.

We have traveled worldwide in efforts to
simply ride the wave energy in that particular
place.  We've dubbed many of these places
as holy places…we've committed to memory
what shape the energy moving through the
ocean takes.

Come on..when you think of surfing in
that manner, it is  really kind of odd.  Wind
born energy moving through the ocean has
been a major influence in my life.

Happiness is an inside job

What makes you happy? Do you need the surf to
head high? overhead? Must the wind be offshore
and the water warm? Would you need to surf alone
or with a select few? Think about it for a bit…
happiness is something we all seek.

I'm sure you know a surfer who seems to be
perpetually stoked…who enjoys being in the
water no matter what the conditions, no matter
what board they are riding.  They seem "high on
life" as they say. Grateful just to be alive, healthy,
able to enjoy the ocean and the friendships surfing
has provided.

We all know the other kind of surfer…the one
who's rarely happy. The conditions are never
what they want, the line-up always too crowded.
They are quick to criticize and make judgements
rarely grateful and always looking for something
or someone to blame for their unhappiness.

Don't look outside yourself at others, things,
or situations to make you happy.  Don't get stuck
in a blaming mode. It's not the size of the surf, the
board, the crowd, or the conditions that are
responsible for your happiness it's all in how you
choose look at things…how you look at others…at life.

Happiness in surfing and in life is an inside job.