Surf Culture

Everything I’ve learned about the human experience is reflected in surfing

The surf lineup is an incredibly stand-offish place

As men engage in a sport for boys, their tendencies follow (wet)suit

And, don’t get me wrong, it’s the same for the female rippers too

We’re all beginners when we begin

We don’t really know what we’re doing

And for as long as we don’t want to admit it

This resistance to being a beginner is how our insecurities make an appearance

To admit to being a beginner would mean setting the ego aside

Being willing to fall

While being unable to hide

I’m just a little kid on the board

Wanting so bad to be “good enough”

Wanting so bad to be accepted

Wanting so bad to throw a Shaka

As I yell “Surf’s Up!” to all my friends

Bobbing up & down in the waves

My Little Kid looking side-to-side

Trying to keep my eyes on the horizon

While constantly evaluating how I’m doing through the other surfers’ eyes

Once I gain the courage to paddle into a wave

I feel the release of anxiety

As my attention must get focused

I have no more option to survey what other people think of me

Because my focus is focused on the task at hand

Lest the oncoming wave will bury me

I surrender to the set

Paddle in or miss it

My blinders must go up

Lest I prepare to be filled with regret

I declare to myself “that’s my wave”

And then I must go get it

Nobody else can pursue it for me

I’m the only one on the board

The wave is solely mine to receive

I must be ready to earn it

Once the anxiety of looking foolish is gone

I’m reminded why I picked up this sport from the start

I came out here to drop into the flow

I came out here to have some fun

To witness the sunrise

Or sometimes the sunset

I came to drop in the water

I came here to get wet

To surrender to the flow

To the energy, the surge, the motion, the ocean

I drop into the wave

To surrender to the moment

When I’m out there surfing

Whether riding or just floating

I feel so extremely small

There’s a tranquility felt amidst this insignificance

I don’t control the outcome

I can’t demand that I’ll get a good set

I can only paddle into what’s given

I can only attempt to do my best

I don’t control the other surfers

They might choose to drop in on me

When they do, I can label them as a**holes

Or just paddle on through & continue my practice

Makes no difference

Well, I guess it might eventually…

If I’m afraid of what the others surfers might do

If I’m afraid that they might be judging me

Then I’ll stop paddling out altogether

I’ll let the fear of them conquer me

We’re not all so different

We’re just in suits of subtle variety

We wear ‘em to help us brave the elements

To give us adequate protection

At least that’s our fickle impression

Of course they never do

At least not to perfection

There’s only so much a 3/2 can do

When the sea is icy

And the winds are whippin’

But we withstand the storm

Paddle through the choppy surf

Because once we’ve tasted the flow a single time

We know deep-down that the sport is always worth it

Some guys make it a lifestyle

Other chicks make it their identity

Then there’s the casual beginner

Who just wanted to test out something new entirely

We’re all beginners in the end

Because we can always find new ways to push yesterday’s limits

We’re all out there to have fun playing the game

We’re all beginners from the beginnin’