Sitting Outside: A Surfer’s Perspective On Letting Life Pass You By
Sitting Outside: A Surfer’s Perspective On Letting Life Pass You By
Have you ever watched surfers as they sit and wait for the waves to roll in? At most surf breaks, the line-up of surfers stretches from the inside section closest to shore, to the middle section which is usually at the most active peaks, to the outside section where a few surfers sit and wait for the largest of the set waves.
Over the decades that I’ve been surfing, I spent most of my time in the line-up sitting outside, usually way outside, waiting for the biggest and best wave of the day. I always felt that catching the set wave would make the whole surf session perfect. Boy, did I miss a lot of waves waiting for that great set wave to come rolling in.
Over the past ten years or so, I have changed my surfing ideology from “sitting outside & waiting” to “chasing down” as many waves, big or small, as I can. My surfing mantra is now “high wave count,” and “quantity over size.” I must say that I wish I would’ve taken this approach to surfing years ago. I would have caught more waves throughout the years instead of having to play “catch-up” today.
I think about living life the same way I look at surfing. We can let the “waves of our lives” pass by; busying ourselves now and waiting until retirement before we experience the joys of travel, adventure and worthwhile relationships.
I think about the Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman film “The Bucket List,” and I ask why has filling a bucket list become somewhat of a standard mindset for us Americans? Why do we put off the joy of life’s experiences for the majority of our lives when we really don’t know when and how our lives could end?
Throughout my career as a Funeral Director, I have served hundreds of families that lost a husband, wife, mother or father or even children before their time. I have shared solemn visits with spouses who would never have the chance to share the great plans they’d made with a spouse who died unexpectedly. No traveling. No walks on the beach or autumns in New England. No pizza in Naples or cruises through the fjords or Norway.
I see that we all tend to put off the living of life, sometimes for too long. We wait for the set wave instead of catching the many smaller waves that we let pass by.
My wife and I have a bucket list. We also have an active living list; the things we will do in between dipping into the bucket. We realize that a balanced plan for living includes both the present, near future and the golden years.
When I surf, I might not catch the biggest waves all the time but I do catch them sometimes. The point is; we don’t have time to sit and wait for something that may or may not come. I don’t miss those big waves anymore. I’m too busy paddling to catch the wave in front of me.
What are some smaller plans that you want to experience before you dip into your bucket list?
24 Comments
Chris
Thanks for sharing your passion so openly. You have a way of allowing us to see the bigger picture and what still lies ahead. You are so right that most of us sit and wait for the biggest and best while some even perfect things are passing us by. Thanks for the reminder to remember that it’s not always about the biggest and best but the simple things too.
Amy
Chris,
I love the way you think about life and share with us.
I have been catching small waves this week with regards to my Grandma making up for all of the big ones I only went for before.
Life is fragile and it changes in an instant. We all need to rethink our list of priorities.
Love you,
Lori
Life is to be planned, lived, shared and cherished. You do this already.
Chris,
Great post! Thanks so much for sharing from your heart. I know how much you love your time in the water, and your passion shines through to us land lovers too! You are a great example to so many.
Joy to you,
karilyn
Chris, wow what a great thought provoking post! I try to not just sit and wait, but I have to admit sometimes I do just let it pass me by. I hate when this happens. Life is to short to just sit around and wait! Now more than ever I will never just be waiting, I will always catch as many “waves as I can”
Thank you so much for this post Chris!!!
You’ll want to do your best to leave regret out of life’s picture. Living a balanced life mostly ears to a continued happy life.
Chris . . well done.
I agree that we catch all the joy we can and “be in the moment”. You and I both know that when you’re raising a family – big or small – catching as many waves as possible can mean a fishing trip, going to a concert, picnic’s in the park, visiting relatives, sleepovers and the like. Being a single mom to my first daughter , and a single mom with my 4th and last daughter kept me always in the moment. Now that my kids are grown and I have a covey of grandkids, those same fun things still apply. I haven’t really done a bucket list – but I do believe what you said. You can’t just sit still on your “board” and wait for the perfect wave. You have to taste, feel, experience, see, smell and love life each and everyday. For when we wake, this day is only here while we’re in it. And tomorrow it will be gone. My thoughts for the future contain just that . . . thoughts. No plans, but a vision of life at a slower, more deliberate pace. Filled with family and friends. And who knows . . . maybe Ireleand and Italy will be in the mix. But I’m not going to wait . . a Guinness and a great bottle of wine might just do the trick! Nicely done, Chris.
I’m taking my Mom to Italy and Switzerland next year. She’s never been after years of raising six kids and working through divorce. I’m happy that she cared for health and will be strong enough to travel at 77 years old. I told her to stay strong for a trip to Ireland in 2014.