Go With the Waves
10 August 2018
For starters, I want to thank you for taking time out of your day to read my blog! I am so excited to start discussing different topics with my readers and I would love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment below and subscribe to the blog. With that being said let's get right to it...
There is a moment when you're in the ocean sitting on a surfboard where everything becomes still and feels as if you are truly one with the waves. The movement of the water forces your board and body to mimic the waves in a beautiful and elegant way. There is a slight moment before the next set of waves comes in that is so peaceful and full of excitement for what is to come. Shortly after that moment of calmness, you feel the energy of the water start to build up and as you look in the distance, the horizon starts to move towards you. It is in the next few seconds that you have to work hard paddling and kicking your feet to line you up perfectly with one of those waves. Let me tell you, this is the hardest part about the sport because at the end of the day you will be absolutely exhausted, your shoulders will be jello and you will want an In-N-Out milkshake. But the best part of all of the hard work and adrenaline pumping through your body is the moment that you stand up. There is no better way to describe it except for flying. You are suddenly standing up on your board that barely separates you from the powerful ocean and you are truly walking on water.
It might sound crazy that the built up moments and cycle of surfing is so addicting, but it's because of those flashes of soaring on water that I view the world the way I do. Those few moments of stillness and flying have become such a large part of who I am and how I view the world around me. I am currently in the beautiful stillness phase of my life. I have one month left with my family and friends that I have connected with for 22 years before I leave to California to pursue my dreams and aspirations. But this phase is one of my favorite times in life - how lucky am I that I have had four months to spend time with loved ones before leaving? Many people do not get that opportunity and I cannot stress how essential this time in a large transition is.
I heard once that, "you cannot have roots and wings." For so long I thought this was completely true, but now I see that could not be farther from the truth. I used to believe that I had to disconnect with home in order to fly my wings. I have grown to see that I am rooted in who I am and those I have connected with along my path, and that my wings will grow and flourish in ways that I never thought were possible. My family and friends will always be my roots and home will always be a place that I can come back to when I need a break from soaring.
Isn't it incredible how some memories in our life stick with us so well? I find it incredible how our brains can remember a moment so well, (more on the brain to come) and take us right back to a specific memory. As I stare at this photo below, I feel that a time capsule took me back to staring at the shore line. I can always go back to this moment, close and my eyes, and feel myself sitting on that surfboard again. This moment when I realized such an important lesson of life: not to take for granted any of the rolling stream of moments and cycles that are all connected and all have meaning. We all will have stillness at some point in our lives and as often as we choose to, we can fly - both moments are needed in distinct points in our lives. I've sat in the ocean for hours at a time working my body to catch waves, but each time the tides and waves change and the difference between the beginning of the day to the end of the day is unmeasurable. But it's the consistent transition between that unknown cycle that makes life so beautiful.
I urge you to acknowledge and welcome the moments of the unknown, enjoy the stillness, to never quit flying, and to always GO WITH THE WAVES.
- Sav
