Fourfeather

     I was driving home today, winding roads thru the mountains, listening to some trevor hall. got to thinking about a conversation i had with a guy named fourfeather back on big island. i ran into him in town, he asked me how i was doing and i told him that i didn’t really know what i was doing, just left the farm, was pretty down about the way things had turned out. we talked for a bit, he said to me, “life is like surfing and if i think about it, right now I’m going thru a wipeout, getting tossed around, don’t know which way is up, but eventually ill come to the surface, hop back on my board, paddle back out, duck dive thru some waves, eventually get back out past the break, have a minute to chill and then catch the wave and do it all over again. sometimes ill wipe out, some times ill ride the wave.  sometimes there will be a big wave and i'll be afraid to paddle for it, other times i may let a little wave pass me by and later regret not taking it because little waves are fun too. 

     anyhow, i realized today that a pretty big wave came my way, i chanced it and now I’m riding the wave! i made it thru the wipeout, had a few obstacles along the way (my journey to maui, back to big island, and eventually to florida) made it past the break and had 6 months to chill at home. paddled for a little wave (which i almost passed up) caught it and road tripped with some friends around oregon and california. got the stoke back, realized I’m in control of my life, things are looking up, i’m happiest on the road. paddled back out, hung at home for a month and paddled for the big wave that is yellowstone!

     So just like in surfing, the longer you do it the better you get at selecting the right waves, riding the wave and wiping out. I know there will be plenty more wipeouts on this journey that is life but I’m learning that while i may not be able to change a person, or a circumstance, i can change myself and how i respond and who i am being when i do wipeout.