Never too old...

by Marty
(Sausalito/Seattle, CA/WA)

Ok, so I am a senior (55 at the time) systems analyst sort of "on the beach" in Sausalito -- read: laid-off. Sitting at a sushi place chatting with a dude about the 2 regrets of having lived in CA for 20 years: 1) not having learned Spanish, and 2) not having learned to surf.

Big mistake -- not really. Relative to number 2, this guy worked at the surf shop in Bolinas. There are only only 2 I think. He says, "see you tomorrow." No worries mate. Weekdays are about 45 minutes to Bolinas and when I was a young pup, golden boy, programmer I lived in Stinson riding my motorcycle over the hill to work everyday.

So, I highly recommend taking a couple of private lessons with Chris and then just go after it. The first moment I was up on the board, time stood still. No other feeling in the universe is like this. Maybe it lasted 3 or 4 seconds, but when time stands still it doesn't matter. Wow! No, I mean WOW!!!

The other surfers are a mix of all backgrounds and truly encouraged me to not give up. I didn't. But, my back slowly developed a messed up disc in L4 over the 30 years of being an "office-pinky" and I had 3 epidurals (don't even ask). I did find that hanging off a boogie board with that cold water inside my over-sized wet-suit did three things for me: the cool water felt great on my back, hanging off the board stretched my vertebrae allowing oxygenated blood to flow through, and being in those waters, at that location, with the beauty all around, established a serenity that few get to experience. Fortunately, swimming paid my way through college cause one day I closed my eyes for 15 minutes and the beach "got real small." duh.

I am grateful to have met that guy a year ago. Thanks! Sometimes I go back to my home in Seattle and bring back some grab and fish to show my appreciation. It pales in comparison to the miracle of being introduced to our *real* home -- the ocean.

See ya tomorrow Drew!
_/)
mo