Waves

Speaking of ‘Big Things”…some of the waves crashing here on the East Coast of Australia are

B-I-G.

The first few times we went in the water I was a bit nervous and hesitant…and not just because of the Great White sharks and deadly jellyfish. The waves are huge! And the idea of being crumpled like a rag doll in a washing machine wasn’t the most appealing… for me at least. (Rob seemed to really enjoy the idea).
I spent the first few days in the water fighting the suction of the ocean, bracing against crashing waves and staying close to shore where most of the waves had already broken (and where there was the option of fast retreat).
I think Kath said it best the other day…when we were out in the water we were like two squirrels attempting to cross the road. Each time a big one rolled in we would got through the same process…GO! NO! NOW! YES! NO! Damn it! GO! RETREAT!!!

This tactic expended a lot of energy and more often than not ended in the less-than-favourable outcome that we had been trying so hard to avoid. My favourite piece of evidence that the tactic had not worked, was the pony tail relocation- when you came up from the frothing pile of water and found that your pony tail had moved from the back of your head to above your left ear.

After a few good pummellings, I have learned that indecision is one’s worst enemy in the water…closely followed by hesitation.

Even though every muscle and brain cell may be telling you otherwise, it is in fact much easier to swim directly towards the wall of water and dive straight into the face of it, or cruise right over the top just as it breaks. Either way, with very little effort you emerge unscathed on the other side.
A good life lesson…confronting the things that scare you head on, without hesitation. Not wasting energy on trying to skirt around them or retreat. Easier said than done. But after the first narrow miss in the water, the first time you feel the power of the wave surge over or beneath you as it thunders past, confidence starts to grow, soon those waves aren’t big enough and you start walking down the beach looking for more.