For the seventh day in a row I’m driving down the same dirt road to reach the beach; surfboards on top of the car, anticipation running high. As I came around a corner, standing in the road was the same rooster that I had seen the 6 days previous. The exact same spot, same time of day, 6 days straight.
I thought to myself, “there is that stupid rooster, standing in the middle of the road, doing the same thing as each day before. Doesn’t he have anything better to do?”
Then it dawned on me, maybe the rooster was thinking the same thing about me, “there is that same guy, driving the same car, with the same boards on top for as many days as my little chicken brain can remember.”
Yeah, I had that actual conversation going in my head. Maybe I was suffering from too much tropical sun or too much salt water shoved into various orifices of my body from ill timed takeoffs. Regardless it was actually a good reminder of a couple of things.
- Don’t take anyone else’s or fowls inventory
- Don’t take myself too seriously
I find when I’m faced with situations in which I feel insecure; most hours of most days, I find myself taking others inventories versus just examining why I am feeling insecure and how can I work through those insecurities. A rooster on a dirt road to a beach break helped remind me to not judge others but focus on what is going on in my heart and head. That healthy introspection is good for my personal growth. Life changing lessons are everywhere if I just look around and see what is happening.
Enter the surfboard….. and the not taking oneself too seriously.
I think I am a decent athlete, well until I combine ocean waves and a surfboard and then athletic is not an adjective I would use to describe what is transpiring on the waves for me. Seriously, as one who derives a great deal of self-worth from athletic endeavors, surfing is one humbling endeavor. Over the years it is getting better and I think I have graduated from kook to sub-par! Progress baby, progress.
Each day there is something that draws me back into the waves. I love being out there on my board waiting on the next set! My goal on this trip was too just have fun and enjoy the opportunity to paddle into as many waves as my scrawny arms would allow. Mission accomplished and consequently I laughed more and consistently caught more waves than any trip before.
That ridiculous rooster created a life-long memory and lesson for me, I can only hope I had the same impact on his life. If my rooster friend could surf I’d really have a blog post….
As Chief Executive Officer Bill provides leadership and manage all day-to-day operations of Jaywalker Lodge, an extended care residential addiction treatment program for adult men.
