Watching & Waiting

There is nothing quite like the feeling of surfing. The surge of adrenaline as the ocean heaves you forward, the thrill of rushing water beneath your feet, the ecstasy of speed.

But it is not the feeling of surfing itself that keeps me coming back for more.

It is the lack of it.

It’s the elusiveness of it that captures me. The fact that I cannot control the conditions and, like every other creature on this planet, must surrender to nature’s way and timing. And so every morning the first thing I do is check the wind (ask my wife, it drives her crazy!). I look at swell charts, text my surfing buddies, and dream of that perfect wave. All the time constantly aware of and sensitive to the elements – to the rhythms and cycles of the earth.

If it were perfect conditions every day I think I would miss this. I would take the “good days” for granted and I would lose something of the spirit of what it means to be a surfer.

You see, all those days watching and waiting makes that day when the universe conspires to bring everything together so much richer. And when you ride that wave, it is more than just a wave; it is the culmination of expectation and hope. And in that moment, everything else fades – your problems at work, your worries for tomorrow – and the only thing that matters are the next few glorious seconds.

Life is a bit like surfing.

We all want to experience the joys of riding a wave – those moments of pure pleasure – but the reality is a lot of the time we’re just sitting on the beach waiting for the wind to switch. And what I’m starting to realize is that the waiting is just as important (and very much a part of) the joy of the wave itself.

And so may you come to realize that you are not in control. May you learn to love the days “in-between” as much as you savour the moments of joy. May you be sensitive to the rhythms of the Creator in your life, and may your dream wave finally come in.