Sunday, February 6, 2011

Coffee. Croissants. Waves.


Lately I'd been having the problem of being too "in my head" while surfing.  For surfing, as for any sport, this is a kiss of death. I had no such problem today. The weather was sunny and warm, I was caffeinated, well-fed and happy.  People were swimming without wetsuits and I was reminded  that, Toto, we're NOT in Chicago anymore.  Or New York. Or  Utah. I was reminded how much I love Southern California.

As  for the waves. There were some of the fastest, strongest, waves I've ever felt. One knocked me so hard off my board I fell headfirst into an underwater somersault. When I emerged into the air I shouted  exuberantly: "THAT WAS AWESOME!"

Today's lesson: even though I was having the "greatest time ever" I kept wanting to check my watch.

Today's theory: when I'm about to have a breakthrough in something and my identity is threatened - the identity that likes to prove how lame I am, how I can't do anything right, and that nothing I do ever pays off - I get obsessed with time. It's the perfect way to get out of the transcendent moment and into my head.

Today's breakthrough: I resisted checking my watch and kept re-committing to having fun, being with the waves and letting the ocean be my teacher.

Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning.

2 comments:

  1. I know I should be commenting on your post, but instead I gotta tell ya, your new haircut is adorable (:

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Britt. I'm still trying to figure it out a bit, but on the whole I like it too :)

    ReplyDelete