My Ocean

My life is the ocean... And in my ocean there are a lot of waves. These waves are events, opportunities, occurrences, people, situations, you name it. And I am on a surf board, riding. I am surfing now, not later, not soon. I am always surfing now, while at the same time peeking just ahead at what waves are upon me. An exciting ocean is one filled with tons of waves, big and small, conquered and unconquered, ridden on a board that is strong but scuffed, solid but dented here and there from wave after wave. Some I ride and some I let pass. But the ocean is unpredictable, and at times there can be no waves at all, while at times there can be so many rough waves I just can't catch my breath. But I trust that my board is a strong and sturdy one, and I know I can battle any wave, whether I ride it all the way to shore or it throws me under.

Now, my ocean is big and there a ton of options. I can choose to stay in the calmer area where I know there is no risk in riding the small waves. I can jump on a little wave and ride it all the way, looking good but mostly avoiding the risk of falling off and getting thrown under the current. And if I slip off and fall from a small wave, well hey, it's no big deal really, its like stubbing my toe over a rock. Or I can take my board, which has evolved over time, hardened with each wave I've ridden and fallen from, and go to an area in my ocean where its a bit more unpredictable, where the waves are a bit larger and random. Here, of course, the consequences of falling from a wave is much greater. I can get thrown under the current and dragged out into an uncontrollable rip tide. But then again, is falling off of a giant really a terrible thing? It seems that its more about having the burning desire, stemming from deep in the pit of my stomach, to take on a giant wave, one that I may not be quite ready for, but one I've decided to jump on because it's a challenge that doesn't have a guaranteed outcome, yet could hold an infinite amount of possibilities.

And then there's that giant wave that you do catch. But keep in mind it's a big one, and these are the most unpredictable. I could ride it and end up in a very different part of my ocean, in an unfamiliar part that I haven't yet explored. It may lead me way away from where I planned to be or where I originally was, and it may take me a while to paddle back. But if I catch the right wave and take it all the way... the reward is so much greater than taking in 100 small waves.

There's those times in life, in that ocean, where ya just got to get on that wave... and enjoy the ride. The trophies of waves ridden and triumphed don't mean much unless the ride has truly been cherished. It's not about conquering the wave... It's about the ride. It's all about the ride. It's about getting on and falling off after a few seconds. It's about getting on and falling off right away. It's about getting on and riding it as long as it allows before throwing me off, because as we all know, no wave goes on forever. A wave ends just as a new wave begins. But it's all about the ride...

After all my surfing is finished, if I can't stand on the beach and look back into my ocean, proud of the waves I've experienced, ridden, and been thrown off of; if I can't stand on the beach, proud that I explored areas I was unfamiliar with, took chances, risked failure, and surfed it all with an open heart... it will all have been a series of missed opportunities. And these opportunities I will never know unless I keep surfing.