Surfing is like a religion, isn’t it? I mean, these people are committed to their craft or sport or spiritual oasis or whatever you want to call it. They will search to the ends of the earth for the best wave and then attempt to surf it without perishing.
Whether that’s a good thing or not is another story. I covered that a bit in my review of Chasing Mavericks. Check it out at The Momiverse, one of the sites that syndicates my family movie reviews.
But if there’s one thing about surfing movies, you can always count on them to deliver some lessons that translate to real life. Here are three that Frosty (Gerard Butler) teaches Jay (Jonny Weston) in Chasing Mavericks:
1. If you look hard enough, there’s always a way through it. He’s talking about the waves, of course, but clearly, that’s true of life struggles, too. Don’t focus on how dire the situation is. Instead, use what you’ve got and what you know to choose the best path.
2. Your true self is revealed when things get rough. “It’s how you perform when everything goes wrong that matters,” Frosty tells Jay. Real-life translation: You can be surfing through life with no worries, but it’s how you get through catastrophes like illness, financial struggles, loss, etc. that reveals your true strength. Remember that during your next catastrophe.
3. Hone your powers of observation. Meaning: Take a hard look at problems from different angles and viewpoints. Make sure you’re aware of all the factors and possibilities. Sometimes we just barrel through life’s perils without thinking things through, or sometimes we’re too stressed to think clearly. Meditation is probably a good idea here.
Any surfers out there? What other surfing lessons can we translate to real life?
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