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How funny is this?
Reivers Dustin
12/25/12 #13763
There have been times when I've been moderately terrified on the water. One time at Westport I got drenched in the beach launch with Joost and the gang looking on. I stayed cold and the waves looked deadly. I spent most of the time out there with legs out, “when in doubt - legs out”. Don K. checked on me a couple of times and I had to tell him I was freaked. Giant man-eating waves with crashing rock walls everywhere you looked. But there was LG boppin around like nothing in his R. Wierd thing was, I never fell in. I was in danger because I was locked up.
So I've spent plenty time in survival mode. But here's the thing. If you can break the cycle of doom, you often find that it's not that bad. The thing that keeps the boat upright is the paddle and what you do with it. It can brace, be a counterweight and best of all make tiny adjustments you are not concious of. The rudder is the same, it can be very subtle. However, your body can't do tiny things well when it is uptight. You want these things to happen without thought. So you ask, how 'n heck do you let go of your freakout when cold water with sharks want to eat you? You laugh. Yep. You laugh in the face of death.
You feel the fun. Laughing is a great trigger. Even if is comes out sounding a bit pansy-ass. Laugh at something. It's movement and feeling that brings you back. You can feel the truth of this - you've had those times when it felt wonderful. Work on this funny bone when it's not so threatening. Practice dance with the flow and movement of the water. As you express joy of movement with the waves, you will start to feel some of what you and I see Simon doing. It looks like soaring with least effort. Because that's what it is.
Isn't it cool!?
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