Surfing was never in my bucket list. Not once did I imagine myself learning how to surf nor did I ever wish to be good at it. I couldn’t even balance on a bicycle. How could I balance on a surfboard? But surfing in Baler last weekend taught me that we surprise ourselves sometimes.
When my friends started planning a trip to Baler, of course I wanted to go! But did I want to surf? Not so much. I couldn’t even swim—why would I dream of actually surfing?
Upon arriving at our accommodation in Baler, I could easily see from our balcony the dozens of surfers riding the waves. I was surprised to see that the water wasn’t too deep, and waves suitable for surfing were actually near the shore. That’s when I started thinking that maybe I can do it.
The morning that we were supposed to surf, I was still unsure whether I’d give it a shot. But I realized that it was now or never. If I couldn’t conquer my fears then, I’d never learn to do it nor have the courage to actually try. So I dragged my heavy and nonathletic body to the shore where the tall surfboards were waiting for me.
It was the most terrifying and exhilarating activity I have ever tried. Despite falling off my board a million times, I cannot wait to do it again. In the midst of the waves crushing me, I ended up fishing for a lesson or two or ten. [Read more…]
