I meant to share this after I got it back during summer quarter. I got a 100/100 on this paper and the teacher was “on the edge of my seat” as one of her red pen comments in the margin read. I hope you enjoy. I also wrote this the night before and was up till about 6am two hours before class writing this. This is one draft. And my HS teachers said I couldn’t write.
Today started like any other day I guess. The alarm clock woke me up a bit too early as normal. I rolled out of my beds embrace to begin my day. I stumbled my way to the bathroom as is normal of any other day. I grabbed some clothes out of the closet and pulled them on my body as is normal of any other day. I rubbed the crusties out of the corners of my eyes just before reaching the threshold of my door just as any other day. As I open the door the kids come running
“Daddy! “Daddy!”
Just like any other normal day, but today is not a normal day. I start to pack a bag, just incase.
I finished getting ready to head out the door. Laced up my shoes and made sure I have my wallet. Gave my wife a kiss on the lips. Reached for the door when my son asked.
“Daddy where are you going?”
“Daddy is going to breakfast at the church.” I replied plainly.
“Can I come?” Asked Kai with longing.
“I’m sorry buddy, maybe when you’re older.”
“When I’m five?”
“We’ll see”
I finally get away from the twenty questions of a toddler and embark on my day. The air is already thick and it’s barely half past Eight. As I close the door and turn towards the car my eye is caught by the bright green peas in the garden. Their fat pods are just bursting. This heat we have been having is great for peas. I grab a few pods off the bush. Depositing the peas in my mouth as I crack open the pod. This is what summer tastes like.
Fifteen minutes later I have made it to the church. The windows down the whole way there, what a hot day, what a nice day to do this. I am one of the first to get there. Just a few of the guys whose turn it was to make the breakfast this month are here. The Hall smells amazing. As I walk in I can tell what we are having. I can smell the eggs cooking and the spicy smell of taco meat. Must be making breakfast burritos. As the hall fills with the others the atmosphere is buzzing about various topics. I hear talk about lawn mowers and of course the weather. All I want to know is where we’re going today.
A sharp whistle breaks the air.
“Let’s bless this food so we can eat, I’m starved.” Announces Bruce, one of the older gentlemen in the church. A gruff woodsmen, he has long white straw hair and a long white beard to match.
The Pastor, Hans, gets up and says a prayer.
“Dear Heavenly Father….” Hans is a fit man in his late 40’s. His hair is on its way out but at least has its color. The way he acts though you wouldn’t put him later than his 30’s, not in a immature way but in a trying to be hip way.
“…Amen”
With that we all line up to dish our plates, making sure we let our elders go before us. This is an interesting group of people, we have folks from every walk of life in here. Boomers and Gen Y, skaters and loggers, yet here we are here together to share a meal, fellowship and study God’s word.
“Are you gunna do it?”
I turn around to see Hans standing behind me.
“I don’t know, I think so. I have a bag packed if I do” I sheepishly reply.
“I think you should” comes Hans again.
I dish up my plate. A mountain of scrambled egg, ground beef, cheese and salsa over a shrinking tortilla. I find a seat next to George. George is in his early late 30’s and is former Army Ranger. He has faint muscles under his skin and shaggy blond hair. And he always has a smile on his face.
“How’s it going Karl?”
“I’m fine, (I really hate this response, yet it’s the one I always give) it’s a great day today huh?” I state mater-of-factly.
“Are you going today?” Inquires George.
“I think so. I already told my wife that I was gunna do it.”
We all continue to talk amongst ourselves on various topics. And as it becomes obvious that we are done eating Damien gets up to give his message. Damien is a tall round Englishman with a thick English accent. His message is about counting our blessings and not taking for granted what we have been provided with, something that sits close with me. He closes his message with a prayer and we all shuffle off to our various projects and what-nots for the day.
A small group walk down the hallway and out the building towards a shed on the edge of the property. There are already a few guys there handing out the items.
“Don’t worry Karl I already got your stuff in the back of my truck” says George.
“Thanks man! I am going to go change before we head out.”
I walk back into the church and down the hallway towards the restroom. I am kinda nervous and anxious since I have never done something like this. The twisty knots in my gut of doubt. What if I chicken out once we get there? After I am done changing into my shorts, I walk back to the shed. Everyone is just about ready and we all load the vehicles and secure the equipment. I chose to ride with George in his truck along with a few other guys.
The journey was long, but it was a great time of fellowship. Mathais was riding with us, he is young in his faith and in his marriage. Myself and George have been married for a while and have kids so we were able to give him advice that I can only wish someone would of told me. The fellowship in that truck helped take my mind off the fact that the coffee that I had with breakfast has ran its course and wants out. The road was also bendy and twisty. It is a beautiful drive, just not when you’re five foot and eleven crammed in the backseat of a Ford Ranger.
We finally reach our destination after a two hour drive. There is a wispy fog over the beach and we can’t see the water. The air is moist with the salty smell. A mixture of the water and seaweed in the sun hits my nose and it reminds me of my younger years of camping on the beach. As the truck is being unloaded, I grab my suit and start to examine it. How on earth do you fit into these things. One of the guys explains it as trying to wrestle your skin. And that’s what it felt like. I stripped down to my trunks and put my legs into the wetsuit. I had to pull with all my strength to get the tight neoprene skin over my natural skin and the further up it went the harder it got. After wrestling with my new skin I was able to get the suit on.
We all grabbed our boards and headed towards the surf. I start to edge into a panic as it becomes more apparent that I am going into the water. I am walking with George and he is pointing out waves and explaining sets with me. He points out how to see the rip currents, which have a nasty habit of pulling swimmers and surfers alike further out to sea. Thanks, that’s one way to help someone with a open water fear.
Stepping out into the water and feeling the pressure of the crashing waves, I am calmed of all my anxiety and worry. We wade further into the surf and George demonstrates how to get onto the board.
“Since you are just starting out lets just ride them on your belly.” Instructs George.
“Sounds like a plan. My balance is horrible”
“Try and get your chest to rest here.” As he points to a spot on the board.
I push off the sandy floor and land on the board with all my weight. I wiggle and wobble and manage to flip off the side of the board.
“You’re doing great man just hang with it.” Encourages George.
After several minutes of this I am able to balance my weight on the board mostly. We moved on to paddling.
“It’s just like swimming just only with your arms, and you’re on a surfboard.” He makes it sound so easy.
“Ok you see this wave?”
“Ya I see it”
“I want you to start paddling.”
“Dig Karl, Dig!”
I feel the wave come upon me and the board and myself surges forward. I have caught my first wave, or more it has caught me. As I am gliding with the wave, time seems to slow down. there is a euphoric rush. And as soon as I got up I came crashing down into the foamy sea.
I was hooked to this new drug. To catch waves. It is a feeling that can hardly be described and the only way I can come close is by comparing it to that feeling just before you fall asleep where you are completely relaxed. Today was not a normal day.
1 Corinthians 10:31 “…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”
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