Surfing

“You can’t stop the waves from coming, but you can learn how to surf.”~Jon Kabat-Zinn

Every couple of years my family takes a vacation to the Florida coast and spends a week on the beach. And one of my favorite things to do is to go out in the water just past where the waves break and ride them. Now I don’t mean that I ride them back into shore. I mean that I stand there, jump up as the wave passes, and then land back close to where I started.

I love feeling the tug of the receding wave as it approaches, the push as it passes, and the pull as it flows back out to the ocean. There’s a beautiful cyclical nature to it, as well as an awesome-ness to being immersed in the primal life force of water. If I pay close attention to the water, I can feel the push and tugs. I can adjust my actions to best suit the water (and not get pulled under completely).

What’s that got to do with mental health?

Life is a lot like that, too. There are people and situations that push and pull us in many different directions.  And ultimately we have very little control over any of it. Oftentimes our best and most productive course of action is to ride the waves– make the most of the situation, work within the circumstances, don’t fight it. And at the end of the day, you can use the waves’ energy to ride back onto the beach.

I am but a mere human being. I cannot change or control the ocean waves. I can only change and control how I react within the water. I can firmly plant my feet in the sand and let the waves pummel me and eventually knock me down, or I can jump up and ride them.

What are the waves in your life? And how can you ride along more easily?

If you’re curious about how music therapy might help you deal with those waves, contact me for more information.  I’m always happy to answer questions!