Surfing--What A Life

On Monday my friend, Tammy, and I decided to spend the day in Pacifica with her little girl and one of her best friends. (Can't go wrong with two adorable four year olds!) Pacifica is a small beach town about 15 miles south of San Francisco; right along highway 1.

As we were walking across the sand, we came across a surfer who looked like he was in his late 40's-early 50's. We said hello and the kids wanted to know everything about the waves and his board. While setting up our picnic I noticed another group of surfers, about 12 total, all eagerly waiting to catch the next wave.

It got me thinking...

Here I am chilling at the beach on a Monday, when most everyone (including my husband) is starting their work day. Sadly, unfortunate circumstances have placed me in the unemployed category along with several other teachers in this state, but I couldn't figure out the story behind the countless wetsuits joining in on the ocean activities.

Sure we have the "surfer bums", whom typically are obsessed with one thing only: catching the next "big one" and never catching a job; living off of almost nothing and sharing small apartments with about 6 other surfer bums.

But what about the man we had passed earlier. If you went on straight looks he was well groomed, well mannered and carried himself with power. It was hard for me to picture him as anything but an influencial businessman. And yet here he is amongst the 20 year olds, surfing with the best of them. Maybe he was an insanely accomplished '.com' participant who got to retire at the age of 40...who knows, but as I continued to look at all the forms gliding among the water I saw more and more of these anomolies.

What ever has brought them the luxury to play on the surf and sand in the middle of a week day...

It must be quite a life!

And yes, for the time being, I can include myself in this luxury (maybe not by my own doing, but I might as well live it up while I can!)