Embracing the Waves: A Lesson in Hardiness from My First Time Surfing

Dear friends, today I want to share a tale from my youth, a tale that taught me the value of hardiness. It’s a story about the first time I dared to surf, and the lessons I learned from the relentless waves of the ocean.

The Call of the Ocean

It was the summer of ’65, and I was a sprightly lad of 15. The ocean had always been a source of fascination for me, its vastness and mystery pulling me towards it like a moth to a flame. So, when the opportunity to learn surfing presented itself, I jumped at it without a second thought.

The First Encounter

My first encounter with the surfboard was anything but graceful. I stumbled, fell, and was tossed around by the waves like a ragdoll. But each time I fell, I got back up, determined to conquer the waves. This, my friends, was my first brush with hardiness.

Embracing the Waves

As days turned into weeks, I learned to embrace the waves, to move with them instead of against them. I learned that hardiness wasn’t just about physical strength, but also about mental resilience. It was about standing tall in the face of adversity, about embracing challenges and turning them into opportunities.

The Lesson Learned

Looking back, I realize that surfing taught me more than just how to ride the waves. It taught me the importance of hardiness in life. Just like the ocean, life too has its highs and lows. But with hardiness, we can ride these waves with grace and emerge stronger on the other side.

So, my dear friends, embrace the waves in your life. Be hardy, be resilient, and remember, every wave that knocks you down also gives you the opportunity to rise again.

Until next time, keep riding the waves of life.

Kev