Wave Rider - Memories of Me & Maui :)

I've been waiting awhile to write this post. Mostly I was waiting for photographic evidence of my adventure :)

When we were in Maui in December, I had a few experiences crossed off my bucket list -- watching surfers at the BIG waves of Pe'ahi (or JAWS!), and my own adventures in SUP and surfing. A couple years ago I came across the documentary "Riding Giants" and I've been obsessed with and inspired by surfing ever since. 

I set a goal to try surfing -- although it seemed like an audacious goal at the time, one December 2013 afternoon in Maui, I got my chance to realize my dream!

Surfing turned out to be a spiritual experience for me, as most of my life is :) I was nervous...like REALLY nervous, and I even tried to back out at the last minute. But I soldiered on -- feeling the fear and doing it anyway.

The dry land training was cool because it felt like yoga, and I'm really good a cobra pose and balance poses :)  Then it was time to get on the board and out into the Pacific.

I wiped out the first time I tried to get up on the board. I felt defeated. But I also noticed that the water, albeit a wild force of nature, was not as scary as I thought. I paddled out again, and if I wiped out again, at least I knew I was giving it my all. This was GO TIME for me to realize my goal.

The next wave came -- and I caught it -- and I STOOD UP!  It was surreal.  I followed my gaze to the horizon at the beach though I felt like I wanted to fall. I looked down and there was a giant sea turtle surfing the wave with me. I felt like in that moment I was part of something bigger. My heart swelled with gratitude.

As I surfed the wave at that moment, with the turtle at my side, I felt a noticeable shift in my heart -- a feeling that I could truly accomplish anything I set my mind and heart to.

As it turns out, I am a natural surfer. I surfed for another hour, and got up every time. Let me tell ya, surfing is HARD WORK. Paddling against the waves to get out into the ocean to even try to catch a wave is tough. Like seriously hard work. But it was so worth it. 

I felt so blessed, so amazing, and so connected to my true spirit -- as a WAVE RIDER. Whatever challenges I face in life, I know that I can always surf the waves.  

I may wipe out or lose my balance, but I'll always get up on the surf board.