i’ve been doing a lot of thinking through and learning about surrendering
the illusion of control.
to be perfectly frank, some of the problems in my life seem insurmountable. some of the opportunities seem equally as daunting. i often find myself questioning what to do or how i can even manage to keep my head above water. like standing on a beach watching a tsunami about to crash into the shore of my life, at times
i feel utterly helpless.
and i am. utterly. helpless.
my friend and boss (at jobs one and two), tim barnes, said this to me :: ‘my advice? just ride the wave, michael. grab a surfboard and enjoy. see where it takes you.‘
thing is, i don’t surf.
but i’ve got a friend who does. so i asked her about surfing. is there value in ‘just riding the wave’ or ‘going with the flow’ while surfing? how much control do you have or have to give up in order to surf well?
here’s what she said :
I love your question. Surfing has actually taught me a lot about life, and it has certainly brought me closer to God. I credit this to the necessity of “letting go.” It’s impossible to surf when you’re angry or trying too hard to perfect it. I think that’s why you never meet a surfer who isn’t abnormally chill.
If you try too hard, the flow is broken, and you end up getting hurt, and not to mention, very frustrated. If you let go, somehow the ocean just takes over and it’s not so much you doing the work, but it’s you being supported by this great force underneath you. This sounds crazy hippyish and maybe it is, but it’s the truth. Whenever I was having a bad day and not getting any waves, I’d make myself stop for a few minutes and just sit in the lineup. I’d stare out at the horizon and just focus on my breath and the sensations around me. This is where I’d always meet God. After that, I’d be much more centered and able to let go in order to be lucky enough to get a ride.
grab a surfboard. settle down and settle in… it’s going to be one heckuva ride.