Facing The Waves

A soft salty breeze brushes against my face. The smell of the water sends bitter shivers all throughout my body. I wiggle my toes deeper and deeper into the sand until they can’t go any further. I drift my eyes up towards the roaring beast in front of me. I shut my eyes. I squeeze my eyes together. I open my eyes. I’m ready. I hope…

I could never see myself doing this. Not after what happened. I was just five years old when I fell out of my fathers boat, I couldn’t swim. I yelled and screamed and splashed and thrashed and… I thought I was going to die. The end of my life before it had even really begun. The whole experience left me petrified of the water. That was a long time ago though, since then I have learned to swim and grown to almost like the water. Almost.
So, now it’s time to face my biggest fear yet, the ocean. And there’s only one way to do it, learning to surf.

I’ve seen it done before, paddle paddle paddle, push yourself up, stand to the side, bend your knees. Easy! Right? Now, let's move to the water. A sudden shock of panic zaps through my body and I freeze, staring at the ocean, reality starting to set in. What am I doing? The world spins around me. It’s ok, I’m alright, I can do this, I can do this. I take a step towards the water with my surfboard tucked beneath my arm, and another and another until the water is gently washing over my feet. It feels nice, cold, but refreshing. Good. I slowing lay the surfboard onto the water and climb onto it. My small arms propel me through the water facing me with waves that drift beneath the board. I sit in the pristine blue water waiting for the perfect wave, accompanied by nothing but my own thoughts. All of a sudden I spot a towering wave charging at me, as tall as the Sydney Tower itself. My eyes slam themselves shut but I command them to open. I tremble with fear as seconds pass and the wave is meters closer. I know that this is the wave I have to catch.

I turn my board around and start to paddle driving myself through the water adrenaline pumping all through my body. I feel the wave hit my board, there’s no turning back. Push yourself up, stand to the side, bend your knees. I push myself up, I stand to the side, I bend my knees. Before I know it, I’m doing it! The wind rushes onto my face and I feel free. Free of my fears and worries and problems. I can see the whole beach from here. It’s amazing. I knew I could do it and I did, just remember, life comes at us in waves. We can’t predict or control those waves, but we can learn to surf them…







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