by Paul Finley
Watching my kids grow, although still young, I can't help but wonder
if they will end up being surfers. When our oldest daughter turned
three, I had the opportunity to cut down an older board that I had
made and make her first surfboard. Shortly after giving it to her, we
took her out to see how she liked it. After pushing her into a
couple little rollers on the shore, she flipped off the board and her head went
under for just a second. In the cold water that we have here on the
Central Coast, it was no surprise that she was not to thrilled with
the experience.
It has been almost three years since that happened, and I feel like I
have learned a bit about what it is to be a parent who is passionate
about something and long for his children to discover that same joy.
Like most things in life, you can not expect others to always share a
similar zeal that you have on all the same subjects.
I have found
that as we go to the beach and allow the girls to play in and around
the water, I am really satisfied with the joy that is derived in their
little adventures. I see them play in the sand dunes, scrambling
around looking for shells, and throwing clumps of wet sand at each
other, and I know that these things are important and meaningful to
them.
Will they end up loving the ocean and wanting to care for our
beautiful surroundings? I don't believe for a second that they would
not.
They don't have to surf to be instilled with those values,
although I do believe that surfing helps promote and resonate those
values in an observant individual.
Well, not knowing and really not wanting to know the future, all that
we can do as parents is allow our children to see the joy that we have
from certain things and give them the opportunity to explore those
things as well. I definitely don't have all the answers for
parenting, but to answer my own question of "will they end up
surfers?" . . . I truly don't think it should matter.
I believe that I
should focus on allowing them to be the unique and radiant individuals
they were created to be. If surfing is part of their journey, then I
will be glad to support them in their efforts. If surfing is not
anywhere on their radar, they can be rest assured that the prodigal child
may always return to the family after their wayward journey.
Just
kidding! Seriously though—we will always love them for who they are.
