Patiently waiting

 Something struck me the other morning as I sat

in the lineup, staring out into the rising sun, appreciating

the colors, looking for an oncoming wave to ride.

We spend an inordinate amount of our lives watching and

waiting, doing nothing but looking seaward hoping for the next 

set or wave.  We wait more than we actually ride waves. We

wait and watch for minutes, we ride waves for seconds.

Our habit, or some might call it our addiction, has us staring at

the ocean regularly.  Checking the surf, watching, taking it

all in for.  In a surfers lifetime if you totaled up the time it's

clearly days maybe even months worth of time.

We are simultaneously looking for something and simply

taking in and appreciating all we see.  

Waves, birds, wind, swell size, swell direction, fish, boats

are all within our view. We ponder, meditate, breathe, and relax.

Not a bad lesson about living our lives. Watch, enjoy, take it

all in, appreciate the beauty of what we see. Sure sometimes we

are disappointed, wishing we'd see something different, hoping for

better surf, less wind, a different swell.  The lesson is clear. Today

these conditions, this ocean, the present is what we have.

Enjoy and make the best of it. A few days ago I saw whales, dolphins

and even waves.

Community and support

 Nat Young  once said surfers are like a tribe.

Kelly Slater was quoted saying that" surfing

is like the mafia, once you are in you can never get

out" 

At this very moment a friend and surfboard shaper

from Florida, who I met in Puerto Rico, is staying at

my house . He's taking a trip up the coast staying

with folks he's met through surfing. He just

told me to give a friend of his, who lives in

El Salvador, a call to set me up when I go.

 He also owns a place in Nicarauga where I can 

stay.

 I'm part of a daily text surf and life report with 

friends, one lives in South Carolina the other, who

 is fromCalifornia, living in Delaware. Next month 

friends from Maine, Puerto Rico, Florida, New York,

Barbados, and North Carolina will visit. In October 

I'll probably go to California and stay with friends. 

I have friends in Hawaii and Australia,  A young

surfer once said "you seem to know people everywhere". 

I smiled a smile of gratitude.

One of the joys  and benefits of

being a surfer is that you become part of a

worldwide community.

Folks everywhere are happy to set you up, give you a place

to crash, introduce you to locals.  In times of need many are

there to help you out.

Having a community and good social support system is

vital to our mental well being.  Coping with stress is helped

when we have friends to talk to, people who are willing

to help.  We are all social beings...even in the lineup.

Most of us would prefer to surf with a few people then surf 

alone. Embrace the unique nature of that gift. Embrace

being part of a worldwide community.