Surfing Waves

interested to know what peoples views are on the surfing way of life thing -does it really exist?
must admit i am one of those people who has always wanted to be a surfer but has only just tried to learn (sadly when im nearly 40 and live as far away from the sea as possible (midlands uk!)
before that have always been in to the image/lifestyle thing -hey i do at least have a vw split screen van

i have also always been attracted to the idea of the laid back approach that is so comonally associated with surfing. i would love to be relaxed and chilled out but spend far too much time being the opposite ie annoyed and frustrated.

so is it all a myth or could surfing or something else lead to me becoming a zen like surfer dude

Surfing is about funnily enough, surfing! The image portrayed by today's sponsered free surfers is fairly un obtainable for the masses. Its costly these days to travel the world and surf the best breaks because people have cottened on to the fact they can make money from it.
Image, i haven't cared about my image for at least 30 years now. If you want to be more relaxed its simple, stop getting annoyed and frustrated. Yes surfing does for the time you are surfing allow you to forget all your worries which is great but i haven't been surfing for 6 weeks now and to be honest i'm not worried or frustrated about anything in particular at the moment.
In my opinion this whole surfing way of life is for all but a few soap dodgers a crock of shite dreamt up by the marketing companies to fool the unwarey into buying stuff. If i was you i'd go grab a board and go surf and not worry about the surfer way of life.

KS

You could be "annoyed and frustrated" collecting stamps or watching trains, but equally you could be at one with yourself. If you want to save petrol and become self-absorbed in something else, read a good book.

Yep it's laid back alright, the professional side of surfing leaves a trail of broken dreams and unhappy psyches by the low tide mark.
Millions of aspiring adolescent cashed up kids believe that by putting on boardshort X will make you a "cool dude" the marketing has penetrated even to the scions of the Russian oil billionaires , the lifestyle is traded on the stockmarket floor HMMMMM

This is not an old guy rant although I grew up surfing before surfing became popular the first time ( ala Gidget).
It is simple the masses have bought the marketing not the reality, post one example.

Aaagh soul

Me, I go down the beach to my local surf find that it's on or not, I walk the beach, I surf, I hang out with myself , maybe with company, I've done the morning of the earth thing, now it's the afternoon of my life I'm fad free and able to choose my own path, I can be laid back, I'm lucky, blessed and I've earnt that space.
I am aware that the majority of the world does not have that option. So at times I go to third world countries and do volunteer work that too blesses me.
It's simple sit on your surfboard out at your favourite break listen to the bitching about non-consequentials from the people around you, let it drift by and think, the majority of people in the world cannot even have this moment and you will realise how you are blessed.

Here endeth the sermon!

The "image"? Long haired surfers calling each other brah and smoke dope after the sess and go all tree hugging on weekends?
Nothing could be further from the truth.

jaffa1949 wrote:It's simple sit on your surfboard out at your favourite break listen to the bitching about non-consequentials from the people around you, let it drift by and think, the majority of people in the world cannot even have this moment and you will realise how you are blessed.

Jaffa this is exactly what makes me love surfing so much. Thanks for putting it into words.

If you were born an annoyed worried kind of person, that is who you will always be. This is the way my girlfriend is. She is always stressing and worrying and thats just who she is where i couldn't have a worry in the world. My mind is mostly in a different and happier place haha. I love to keep it chill and look at everything positively. Life is like Tetris you never know what your gonna get, so why worry. Hakuna Matata.

Peace & Love,
AlohaRider

aloha rider - thats exactly the kind of attitude i wished i had!!
surely there must be a way i can change and achieve that sort of positive approach?!?!?