wave in wave out

My arms are sore. Saturday brought my first opportunity to paddle out and catch some much needed spring surf. With the water temps breaking the 60 degree mark, sun out in full force and blue skies there was not much of a decision to make about rolling out of bed when the alarm went off at 5:30 am. It was the best drive through the Pine Barrens that I've had in some time.
I had not been out in a full wet suit paddling for hours at a clip in a while. Surfing is 90% paddling and 10% of actual riding a wave. It works muscles that you never knew existed that are different then what one uses in swimming or with free weights. Your body will ache after a constant range of motion that you're not accustomed to.
About a half hour out in the water I paddled past the breakers and waited before the next set of waves came in. It dawned on me how greatly my philosophy and approach with surfing has changed much as it has in my approach in life. When I was 21 I would have charged out paddling, surfing, paddling, surfing with little thought about how my limbs and legs would be feeling after the fact. A number of years ago I subjected my body to an eight hour surf session in Florida after not having been in the water in over two months. My muscles were not accustomed to the level of activity and I pushed them and the next morning they pushed back. I couldn't move my arms for close to six hours. They hurt and my body seemed to pulsate for a day or so. I was wrecked. Now, my approach is a little more thought out. Maybe we call that aging or simply common sense, but although my arms are presently sore on Sunday night they are not what they would have been if not for taking my surf session in stride. It's a good sore.

But the truth of the matter in both surfing and most importantly in life if we don't pace ourselves, take time to breath, pause and consider ways in approaching various situations or 'swells' that we may or may not face there is a lessened degree of soreness or wearing out by life. We all get tired, but sometimes the acuteness of it is simply due to our lack of planning and considering a long range vision of what lies ahead and what we are capable of handling.
We were never meant to paddle out into each set of waves in our lives without looking out at the horizon to see what exactly is coming at us next. It's hard to change speeds, learn how important it is to choose what waves or challenges to take and which to let go of as well as being at peace with sometimes just simply waiting allowing our bodies to recharge. I'm still a work in progress, but it's so worth being a good sore in life and not a sore that is detrimental to the next set of waves ahead of us. Enjoy your week and be a good sore in the waves you face ahead of you.