I grew up terrified of the water. Drowning, sharks, getting lost at sea, those were at the top of my list of fears.
In this photo is me, my good friend Miles, and Dodong, who took us around for the best surf spots. In this case, it was off the shores of Daku Island. Because of the strong winds that day, our boat couldn’t get too close to shore, where the waves were close to breaking and therefore much stronger. So we had to stop somewhere in the middle of the sea and paddle our way to the island on our boards (I gulped as I wrote that).
I’m glad we have this photo, taken by Nong Alvin who was on the boat, because this scene reminds me of two things: One, you can’t always see how afraid someone is from the outside (I was shaking, and it wasn’t from the cold). Two, there are many ways for fear to be deemed conquered. One of which is the moment it turns into respect.
The difference between fear and respect is humility. Once we are humbled by something, we know our own limits against it. While fear tells us to run away, respect invites us to look and see, be in awe and be humbled.
Somewhere along this fear-respect spectrum lie the sea and the waves that give it life.
Flexible, distinct, and true. The wave is the greatest of metaphors. I feel quite strongly about that statement, so much so that our college thesis project was starting a business based on that metaphor, and I still believe it to be a strong idea to this day.
The wave is both living and life-less, solid and liquid, soothing and terrifying. It is a portrayal of time. It is also movement and progress and repetition and life.
Do you ever notice how your deep inhales and exhales sound like waves breaking on shore?
I love ruminating about the wave, and it’s not only because I miss being on the beach, nor am I any close to being a pro surfer. It sounds oddly specific, and slightly senseless but this simple, and, at times, unproductive activity has led me to a number of lessons, which I think are worth the time:
1. Everything comes in waves. There’s always a next one. High tides and low tides, they come and they go.
2. Going with its flow is easy and most times, favorable. But you have to go against it to catch the best ones.
3. Timing works better than brute force.
4. In order catch it, you have to paddle before it gets to you. Though it is the force that pushes your board forward, it won’t do all the work.
5. Waves are indifferent. They simply go with the direction and strength of the wind.
6. Crashing just means, you get to do it all over again.
7. Years of constant contact with waves weather rock formations surrounding entire islands. Time, patience and more patience. Water beats rock.
8. When staring far out into the ocean, you don’t see the waves, you actually see the whitecaps (the white foamy tip of the wave). Behind every whitecap is an invisible wave. Behind every noble idea, creation, and feat, is you.