Everything In Life Is Rhythmic.

When I started surfing … I was an eager energetic young man.  I paddled out hard, I tried to catch every small, medium and large wave.  Regardless whether it was a flat day, a pumping day, a rainy day or a sunny day.  I went out with gusto.  I was taught that in the army, to approach my turnout parades with gusto and full feeling.  And boy did I do that.

But did it always work out? Did I always have a great time? Back then, YES. Now in hindsight, I’m not so sure. I think my gusto and enthusiasm gave me as much joy and great surf as much as the pain and injuries. On flat days, I was impatient, I was cynical and moody, and I tried to change conditions to my favour. I surfed TOO hard I would say, and it led me to breaking tail-fins (several times!), pulling injuries on my inner thighs, snapping board noses and breaking boards. Pain, money wasted on repair, stemming from poor decisions.

Then one day, I had a revelation. Waves are rhythmic. They come and they go. They are big and they are small. They have an ebb and flow to them. When you watch them from far, you will see them working like a machine. But when you are sitting on your board, you cannot see further than 2 waves coming towards you, so you have to be in the moment, patience for each opportunity.

“ Impermanent truly are compounded things, by nature arising and passing away. If they arise and are extinguished, their eradication brings happiness.” – Maha-Parinibbana Sutta, Digha Nikaya, II. 3.

I further experienced this lesson when I had a change in my life circumstances in 2019. One day, I was living the life of an expat academic and quite suddenly everything came crashing down. Within 3 months, my marriage had fallen apart, I had visa issues and that meant everything was burning up right before my eyes.

It was painful. So painful to see everything crumble. Especially, when you have truly put your heart and soul into your own life and want nothing but the best for yourself and your loved ones.

Then, I attended a Vipassana retreat and it reinforced the virtues and life lessons I already knew. The experiences that I already were familiar with from surfing. It taught me that life is impermanent. Every wave comes and goes; every breath, comes and goes; every sensation, comes and goes; every pain, comes and goes. Nothing lasts forever, and once you live this every second in your cells and in your body, you can then apply this on a macro level and realise that all bad will also eventually become good.

When the sea and tide is lull, fisherman repair their nets. Surfers fix their boards, do dry land practise. Waiting and preparing with eager anticipation for the next wave to come.

Ready to take the next phase of life and experiences that give the knowledge and wisdom to live a life truly worth living.