Zen and the Art of Surfing

I've been watching surfers from my balcony at the beach for the last few days and I've decided that surfers fit into several categories.

There are the surfers who seem to sit out there the whole time just waiting for the perfect wave.  Wave after wave passes them by.  Unless it's the perfect wave, these surfers are not even going to try to catch it. So, they sit and wait while the hours go by and then they come out of the water and go home, hoping that tomorrow will bring the ultimate wave.


Then there are the surfers who appear to be trying to catch a wave but never do.  They've got the wet suit and the board but they never really surf. They paddle furiously and appear to just miss catching a ride. If a wave begins to catch the board, they pull back and let it pass or lose their balance and fall off.


And there are the surfers who grab every, single wave without thinking whether it's a good wave or not. They have some good rides and they also wipe out a lot. They are having fun and every wave is a welcome friend.


Some surfers just seem to sense when the wave is right.  They let the weak waves pass and wait for the right moment.  These surfers start paddling as soon as they sense their wave swelling.  They know they might never find the perfect wave but they make the best of what the ocean brings them.  They seem to catch every wave they target.  Some rides are short and some are long and they enjoy them all.

And then there are the non surfers who sit up on the balcony, drinking wine and philosophizing about the surfers.