Surfer Girl

January is the time for resolutions. Mine this year is pretty much the same as last year's which is to keep trying to do things that scare me. I find that as I get older I am also getting braver in many ways. Last spring, I overcame a very big fear which I would like to share with you. 

I have always been fascinated by the ocean and been interested in surfing but was not brave enough to try...until last spring. That's right, at the ripe old age of 44, I took my first surfing lesson with my husband. It was so, so hard and I almost abandoned several times but I'm glad that I didn't. One of my proudest moments ever was when I caught my first wave. 

It seemed really easy on dry land. Not quite the same in the actual ocean, with big waves coming at you!

I spent way more time in the water than on the board. After my umpteenth tumble, one of the instructors took pity on me and helped push me back into the surf. And after many, many attempts...

I rode my first wave! That, my friends, is the look of pure joy.

And then, I wiped out... 

again... 

and again!

Then the sun came out and I found my stride.  

And after a few more hours, the lesson was over and we went back to the hotel, bruised and battered and exhausted, but so very happy to have been surfers, if only for one afternoon

Happy, tired surfers.