Post-Sesh Glow

There's an epic moment of satisfaction when you ride a wave. It's the delirious, gravity-defying moment that makes you feel invincible. That moment is great, but watching it happen can be just as awesome.

I was out at the beach the other day watching knee-highs roll in, nothing I'd want to catch with a 7'0" banzai. I was out there to meet my old friend Nick, an ex-lifeguard at the beach. We set up shop with towels and my dog and some chairs, and his girlfriend showed up. She has two kids, ages 2 and 4, and they were just bundles of joy. I can't say that I was stoked to have them around my 100lb lab who's never hung out with kids, but c'est la vie.

The kids were torturing my dog as I paddled out for a couple of waves... No luck, the chop was too fierce and the waves were all bite-size. As I get back in, the little boy, Nathan, has this look of bewilderment that screams, "Show me how to ride those waves now please." He repeats the word 'surfboard' until we agree to let him out in the water with us. Nick's patience and the mother's fun spirit allowed Nathan to get just past the sandbar, stand up on the board, and ride it in. These were the kind of waves that have already broken up and could just push a toddler on a board. But Nathan was STOKED. Little dude was a natural! By the end of the day, he was surfing. It was the greatest thing I'd watched in weeks, and I look at the picture anytime I'm feeling work-worn.

It works both ways, too. I learned to shoot a hand gun this weekend, and couldn't stop smiling for several hours. (that felt like several minutes)
I was pretty anti-gun before touching one, and had agreed to shoot mostly so I respected the guns more. By the end of it, I was thinking about how much it would cost for a P250 Sig Sauer... Larry, my gun mentor, basically just wanted to watch me shoot because I was having so much fun, and I ended up spending most of his ammunition. The lesson's in the smile. (well that, and guns aren't toys, kids.)
Sharing an experience like shooting or surfing can be just as gratifying as learning to surf, or catching a stellar ride. I'm pretty sure Nathan won't forget that first couple of moments on top of water, and I definitely won't forget my first shot with that .38 revolver. I just hope I remember to teach my kids the same things.

A smile triumphs where words fail, regardless of tooth count and age.
Teaching can be the most fulfilling experience, and sometimes the teacher comes away with more than the pupil.