she calls to me.
11.25.18
All of us were born in water. And in Indian culture, during funerals the ashes are let back into the ocean. So in birth and in death, there is water. That whole circle, and the fact that I’ve lived next to the ocean all my life, has given me so much respect for her.
I think that surfing has shaped my personality and my views on life way more than I give it credit for. In surfing, there’s this opportunism. You spend a lot of time just sitting and waiting. You’re watching the waves, constantly assessing your position in relation to the wave, in relation to the other surfers out there. And when the right one comes along, you paddle as hard as you can to align yourself with that wave. All of a sudden, you’re swept up. That part is simple, effortless. You just feel the wave take you up. And it’s that moment that surfers are always training for. We’re trained to capitalize. And not take it for granted.
You pop up and suddenly, you’re standing. You get to stop and appreciate the wave. You’re looking right into the face of the wave, looking down the barrel. You get to appreciate the beauty of the wave, how the sun shimmers off it. I usually crouch down and let my hand graze the water – that’s my favorite part. I’m just in my element.
There’s this moment where time stops. And I’m just riding the wave. Nothing can take it away. Outside of a shark attack I guess. I feel so present—like this is living. People who know me know this is one of my biggest flaws. I struggle a lot with the fact that all things end. I have a big fear of loss, not just losing people, but also losing experiences. So I’m fixed on that a lot of the time instead of truly enjoying it.
But when I’m surfing, I don’t really experience that. I think that’s why I love it so much…
I think I realized that just now. Wow.
Abhi Veerabahu
Class of 2019