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ADVENTURE | NATURE THERAPY
The “Ones” That Stick With Us
All it takes is one wave, one sunset, one smile — one second — for a memory to last forever.
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Overhead waves crash into the cliffs at my side. Water drains between barnacles as I merge into the sea. Knee deep, I toss my surfboard over the whitewash, pull it under my chest, and stroke westward.
Eye level on the shimmering surface, I think to myself, “Why is a 52-year-old divorced Dad from Portland the only one paddling out right now?”
This happens a lot. I make the two-hour drive from my home in Portland to the Oregon coast. The surf is big and gnarly, with no one else in the water, and I have to make a choice. Chill with my dog, Halo, on the beach or charge it. More often than not, I charge it. Surfing has been a part of my life for 30 years, providing a reason to stay in shape. This is not a reckless act. I’m ready and right where I need to be.
