The damp morning mist slowed my jog along the San Clemente beachfront. Several days of rain left the air heavy and I stopped to catch my breath. That’s when I noticed a man standing on a paddle board just beyond the breakers. Suspended on the rippling tide, his body so still that I imagined him standing unsupported on the water. Barely moving, he maneuvered with his paddle to catch the next wave and ride it toward shore. A huge breaker was careening toward him. He crouched down balancing his body, moving side to side using the paddle to stay afloat.
It’s all about catching the wave on difficult terrain, holding your place, and shifting your balance to achieve your goal. What a metaphor!
The morning was cold. California had been suffering a chill made more uncomfortable by wind and rain. This would be the first chance in a week for the paddle boarder to get into the water and he was fully engaged. Positioning his board behind the breakwater, he rode the crest of the next wave, controlling his pace in rhythm with the ocean, focusing on the constant motion. He paddled to a better spot when the eruption of a wave thrust him into full motion as he rode the foam, first to the right, then crossing the crest to head in the opposite direction. As he reached the shallows near shore, he disappeared for a moment. I caught my breath thinking he would never come up for air. In the next second there he was again, climbing back onto the board, grabbing his paddle, and returning to deep water to meet another challenge.
My mind, riveted on his process and the discipline it required, began to question my ability to balance my small, everyday ‘waves’—little annoyances that upset me more than a crisis. Can I train myself to be centered to “walk on water” through small frustrations? What shifts must I make to be steady on difficult terrain? What would it feel like to hold my ground? To be centered each moment—never distracted by yesterday’s regrets or tomorrow’s anticipation—to live in this moment, right here, right now? What adjustments do I have to make to hold myself steady?
The image of the wet-suited boarder became meditation in action, like a yoga performance by an expert whose spirit is totally engaged in every breath and movement.
How does he make the most of that moment when a wave challenges all his skill to stay erect? To be ready for it, conscious of each change in the surface, each ripple in the water. At that moment of ultimate challenge, conquering the wave requires courage and fortitude to bring him to safe harbor.
What about preparing myself to ride the waves in my life successfully? Distractions are my enemy and must be dangerous for the paddle boarder as well. Just a small bird on the horizon, a school of dolphins jumping gracefully on the surface, a fishing boat steaming out to deep water, sunlight distorting the surface of the sea. How does he do it?
That’s what the paddle is for, I thought. Everyone needs support, and his paddle helps him adjust his course. It adds to his strength and stabilizes his power. So it is with all of us. Our connection to other humans is critical to stay the course. We are each other’s paddles—each other’s resource for strength, sustenance, and love.
But what if I lost my paddle as the surfer had when he missed the right moment and tumbled into the sea? I saw his paddle float to the surface and watched him retrieve it. But what if he lost it and had to stand alone? And what if I lost the paddles in my life— loved ones, advisors, and friends? Could I stand alone? Am I aware of the ripples in our relationships, of others needs as well as my own? Will I help them paddle through rough seas?
Catching the wave is about balance, remaining centered, aware of the motion around us, connecting with the earth beneath our feet and staying our course. Being present in both gentle and rough seas prepares us for undertows that can rip lives apart. But if I stay balanced, climb back on the board, and paddle with the current, I can catch the wave that brings me home.
So eloquently expressed - as only you can! Staying balanced - a delicate act to which we all strive. And hopefully we will succeed.