Today the ocean gave me a little attitude adjustment. I
arrived at my local break after work today and found an
endless sea of foamy, rolling, tempestuous waves. I
was still more than a little pissed from the other day....
and so my stubborn determination to surf had me suit
up and jump right in.

There were only about 20 surfers out..... usually,
there'd be 100 at this break. That should have been a
little clue for me right there! It was rough. Paddling
through that foamy mess was brutal! The waves were
breaking like 3 seconds apart. And finally getting out
to the cleaner breaking waves proved to be no picnic
either.

As I punched through and had a chance to catch my
breath, I was keenly aware of just how small and
insignificant saturday's little tizzy fit was in the
scheme of life. Here I was.... surrounded by the power
and wrath of these huge, raucous waves..... being tossed
about with nobody else in sight. It was as if the ocean
was saying to me..."you wanna be mad? Okay... let's
just be mad together!" And... with that....I just
smiled...exhaled.....and let go of all that anger.

The sun was going down..... I was floating on my board.
....nothing else mattered.....all was right with the world
.
And then it happened! A big peak rose up and God help me.
.
... I kicked and felt myself being swept up really high...
.
I mean.... really, really high! (I dunno how high.. the
forecast said 5-8ft. I just know it seemed huge.) For
some reason... I knew I was going to catch this ride. I
remember thinking how strangely calm I was being as
I pushed down and flew through the air.... the bottom of
the wave several feet below me. One part of my brain was
asking the other part if I realized that I was flying
through the air. Because, normally on a wave this big...
I would have bailed out and taken the beating. But
for some reason... I wasn't scared. I trusted that I was
supposed to catch this wave. I had faith. Because,
the other part of my brain was calmly telling me to
hang on... relax... and take a look around.
Oddly enough.... the voice in my head was speaking
in a tone that reminded me of that scene in "Pulp
Fiction" where Marcellus if speaking to Jules over
the phone, repeating his
words and telling him that "the Wolf would be
there directly."It was simply a glorious feeling to
hit the bottom and race towards the shore.

Something happened today...... something I hope I don't
soon forget. The ocean taught me a lesson about how
to work through difficult situations. A lesson about anger
,
power, grace, appreciation and forgiveness. For on that
wave.....I rode through the mayhem and majesty of life...
in the palm of God's hand.