The Genesis of the Family Surfer Dude
February Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Statues”
Could surfing be in the cards?
When my two oldest boys were little, we visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California, on a Sunday morning. While we enjoyed the rides, sights, and sounds, we needed a break by lunchtime. So, we hopped into the car and drove to Laguna Beach.
As the boys and I played in the surf and sand, we watched surfers as they rode the waves. It looked like so much fun. I told my wife and sons that if I had grown up near the California coast instead of among Minnesota’s farm fields, I would have been a surfer dude.
We drove back toward the park since our Disneyland tickets were still valid. But that Sunday afternoon, we got stuck in a traffic jam on the freeway. Rather than sit in traffic, we exited the highway and returned to the hotel. As we relaxed in the pool, we looked back on the day. We agreed that playing at the beach overshadowed playing at Disneyland.
Three years ago, about 25 years after we visited Disneyland and Laguna Beach, my oldest son moved to Santa Cruz, California. After I encouraged him a few times, he tried surfing. He is hooked on the sport.
My son has become our family’s first surfer dude. He has encouraged me to try the sport, too. I have watched some guys who are older than me riding the waves. But at the age of sixty-four, I’m not sure the sport is in the cards for me.
I ride my bike past the Santa Cruz Surfer Statue whenever I am in town. Then I watch the surfers ride the waves and think to myself, “If I had grown up on the California coast, I would have…”
