Learn how to surf

“To be totally honest, I was very nervous for my very first surf lesson. I have the build of Gumby so I was worried about having to carry my board into the water, getting hit by waves, and what seemed to be the contents of an AI-generated list of everything that could possibly go wrong surfing. [...] My number one tip for surfing is to close your mouth. I was smiling and laughing so much throughout my whole lesson that I think I swallowed enough ocean water to fulfill my sodium intake for the next 15 months. I got up on my very first wave and even the subsequent ones that didn’t go so well were still a blast. The high of riding the wave is pretty unmatched, but even just paddling out and chatting with my fellow surfers (how awesome I get to say that now) was a real highlight of my afternoon.”

“I’m 44 and just now learning how to surf. For years I’ve been fascinated by the ocean, but I always held back, afraid of looking ridiculous, of not being strong enough, of just… failing. This year something clicked. I realized the fear wasn’t going anywhere, so I might as well bring it with me. I signed up for a beginner class and got tossed around like laundry on my first few tries, but I kept going. I’m still terrible, honestly. But every time I catch even the tiniest wave, I feel something shift in me. More peace, more presence, more pride.”

“There was an early summer session where I cracked my face on my board, glued it shut, and surfed the next 4 hours beaten up and bloody. I ended up needing 17 stitches. I experienced the stern reprimands of more experienced surfers when I accidentally dropped in on them, learning a thing or two about etiquette and board control. I experienced towering frustration as stronger surfers snaked my waves knowing I was tentative in the lineup. I got held under on a particularly cold January day, and panicked as my leash wrapped around my neck. For the first months I surfed, I did nothing but pearl. And, I still get the occasional sense of embarrassment when I make the mistake of popping up to my knees instead of my feet. There is no doubt; my first year surfing was a challenge, but it is also the accumulation of moments that are tandem to magic.”