I haven’t posted in a while. This past month (and especially this past weekend) has been a whirl wind of activity - I missed the run on Saturday opting to surf in the early morning. It was a once-in-a-decade ocean scenario. Hurricane Bill did everything a well groomed category 3 storm was supposed to do. Honestly, I could have stayed in the water the entire day but there were way too many other obligations and necessary responsibilities. Tonight, I look at the rash on my chest and knees from three hours on a surfboard and smile. Interesting that a scab will cause a smile but trust me… if part of your personality rests on the balance that riding waves will bring then scabs or abrasions (after pushing off a surfboard and riding perfect walls of water) are war wounds any waterman will cherish. Tonight is an occasion for me to pause and reflect on the things that help define who I am. It’s not as simple as describing the act of riding a wave but the analogy is not far off. At 48 years the possibilities of creating success on behalf of a good cause or working through strategies related to a new business challenge are so much easier to understand because of the person I have allowed myself to become. Let me explain it this way. When I started surfing at 13 years of age the 2 foot rolling whitewater from the first waves I tried to ride would intimidate the hell out of me. At 28 there were many waves that I still feared but my life experiences and surf knowledge had already helped to develop a new confidence in myself. Now I can look back on the world class waves that I have ridden. Sometimes I realize how fortunate I am to have survived. When a passion is ignited inside of someone that fire is hard to extinguish. I relish that fire and I try not to let fear diminish my possibilities. I want to share a quote that came to me through a book that Tim Deegan recommended I read. It’s from “Love Is letting Go Of Fear” and I think it’s powerful.
Other people do not have to change for us to experience peace of mind.So what does this have to do with surfing? More often than not my worldly and personal struggles are based on the opposite definition of this concept. For a creative individual it’s so easy to be fearful. The more I grow in my personal understanding of my unique potential the more I am ready to take on the next challenge. Surfing mimics the creative process. A lot of what you do as an individual in the water is very personal but, it’s a shared experience that can lift everyone up. So I am going to go back to work for now because there is truly good work to be done. I’m not sure how some of this will work out but I have to “make the drop” without fear. The 26.2 with Donna cause is an incredible blessing to sooooo many and tonight I will work on a poster that reflects those values and ideas. Stay with me !!
