Paddle out. Even if it looks bad.
I don't surf.
I tried it once, in Hawaii. Caught one wave. Ate a lot of shit.
I can’t wait to try it again.
A long time ago, a friend mentioned something about surfing that stuck with me. It was much later in my life that I realized he wasn't talking about surfing at all.
"Paddle out. Even if it looks bad."
I'm in my mid-30's. I've got my fair share of aches, pains, and stresses. But I consider myself still relatively young, capable, optimistic (my body sometimes says otherwise). Despite the days when I feel able, I'm just not willing to do...anything. I worry a lot. I make excuses. I think the worst part is that for the longest time I would deprive myself from the joy of my passions, like driving.
"Ah, I have too much work to do."
"I'm not sure about the weather."
"I'm pretty beat and would rather veg on the couch."
"I'm lazy." (at least I was being honest)
When I lived in Southern California (Chino Hills, to be exact), I'd venture to GVBC on Fridays at Newcomb's Ranch 1-2x month. And every time I’d go I wouldn't regret a thing. I'd met some interesting people there. Had some incredible drives, some truly good experiences. Some genuine driving smiles.
But more Friday's than not, I'd find an excuse not to go. It was far (1.5-2hrs to the base of the mountain, in traffic, even at 6am). It was dangerous (more than once were there reports of people dying on the mountain during those Friday drives, RIP). It was early (remember, I can be diabolically lazy).
But looking back, I wish I had gone more often. I didn't paddle out any chance I got, even if it looked bad.
And when it did look bad and I still paddled out? Those made the best memories.
I remember driving up ACH only to find snow. And it started snowing! After my foot somehow slipped on the gas pedal and I accidentally did a round of donuts in one of the turnouts, I drove down to Manhattan Beach where it was 75 degrees. From snow on the mountain to the beach in an hour, even with some downtown LA traffic. Amazing memories. Amazing experience.
I moved to Northern California in 2023 and had a chat with some friends, Amit and Jeff, about how even though we live in an absolute dream of an area for car enthusiasts, it's sometimes hard to get out and do something we love, like driving.
Maybe it's because we don't want to do it alone. Or we're lazy. Or the weather's bad. Or we have to gas up first. Excuses. Excuses.
Sometimes life gets us so down that it's hard to even do the things that we enjoy. And that's a tough spot to be in.
We're not going to live in this automotive-driving-heaven forever (or maybe we will), but we're not going to live forever, and that's a guarantee. And if we don't do the things we love when the opportunity is available, then we're somehow bound to die even sooner.
There's this concept I've learned from friends and in therapy about “filling your own cup”. When my cup is empty, it means I can't pour into anyone else's cup when they need it. So, as the saying goes, "you can't pour from an empty cup". You have to do things that bring you joy. You have to recharge your own batteries, fill your own tank, or whatever metaphor you want to use that doesn’t sound too dirty. Otherwise, when people around you need help, you're going to show up as a shell of yourself.
So, if the opportunity presents itself to do something that fills your cup, don't be like the old me and make excuses to not do it. Stop denying yourself that joy of the drive (I’m talking to myself in this case). Don’t deny yourself those experiences. Those memories.
I write this as a reminder to myself because this is part journal entry and part entertainment for those who find themselves reading this article. I used to think I was alone in the way I was thinking, feeling. But that’s never truly the case for anything in life. So here I am…writing, and here you are…reading, and hopefully some sort of connection has been made. If there’s one thing I hope you take away is to fill your cup. Don’t feel bad about it. Oh, and paddle out, even if it looks bad.
