Put yourself out there. It’ll make a world of difference. Photo: Adam Dewolfe.
Sociologists claim that these days most people have a third home – the workplace, the place where we rest our bones, and somewhere else, which I personally like to call “my spot”. Advertisers act like your best buddy and spend fortunes trying to wave a flag in your spot. But my spot is far removed from trendy suburbia. My spot is an oasis – a free and natural, dreamlike dwelling (aside from a nominal annual California State Park pass). To me, it’s a place of belonging. Not socially, but personally – like a haven where all is well and uncontrolled. But there are others there who occupy my spot.
My spot is full of kooks and characters of all sorts that all seem to get along. Here, the up-and-coming, the has-beens, and the new and clueless, gracefully coexist. However, this is just the fraction of complete demographic who occupy my spot. Sun-kissed surfer girls in ponytails and bikinis hanging five down the line, Velzy-era-hot-doggers proving themselves with perky cross-steps and soul-arches, parents accompanied by their little ones for an impromptu tandem session, pre-pro shredders, and the sunscreen-lathered-newbie-too-slippery-to-stay-on-his-board are all likely characters you will see at my spot.
You may wonder: what’s the common denominator shared by this diverse group? Well, actually, there are a few common denominators.The love of glassy sunlit days, hot pee in a cold wetsuits, playful peaks, dolphins surrounding, salty post-surf nasal drip, and sandy tan lines are the elements of the surfing experience that brings together such a diverse group of people. At my spot, you’ll smell the tropical aroma of suntan oil and surfboard wax. You’ll feel the warmth of the sun and the crunch of sand beneath your feet. Here you’ll taste the salt on your lips as you gaze through your salt-fringed eyelashes at the horizon wishing for another well-traveled set to appear.
In observing the other patrons who attend the church of the sea, you’ll be reminded to be nice. Its sheer magnificence prompts the most unalike to respect their differences. It reminds us to use our manners. It teaches us that the best surfers in the water are the ones having the most fun. As you step off the shore and paddle towards the horizon, the pesky worries of the day melt away. I’m so frickin’ lucky to call this my spot.
