La Mer

And when the day arrives

I’ll become the sky

And I’ll become the sea

And the sea will come to kiss me

For I am going

Home

Nothing can stop me now…

Ch 1

So your life starts everyday at 5 am. You the see the sky, the sun kissing the night goodbye, you see the day break. The water gives you goose bumps, you don’t need to coffee to wake up, the crisp air and the morning dew give you the jolt that you need. The only news you listen out for is the morning surf report. The crunch of the sand on the bottom of your feet feels soft, natural. Your life is complete.

And the money you make, just keeps the endless summer going. It’s not about winning it’s not about competing it’s not about losing. It’s about making a statement. Setting a tone. And cash? Well plane tickets to South Africa, France, Fiji, Australia, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico, Alaska, New FoundLand, California, Hawaii, New Zealand, and back again, well the don’t pay for themselves.

You travel the earth in search of the perfect wave. You say to yourself that this is the day. I will find that perfect break, it’s elusive and so far you haven’t found it, but you don’t mind. The search goes on. The howl of the wind, the sharks that you know are watching waiting for you to make that one mistake….

That’s the other part, the savage part that’s all your own. It’s the fear and you’re not afraid. It’s the swells and the current and it’s dragging you down deep, but still no fear. Because while everyone is doing the 9 to 5 barely clinging to life you on the other hand are challenging your very existence.

And I love it.

 And maybe I loved it too much. Maybe taking the competition in shark waters was not the brightest plan. And all that money I made all those plane tickets that wouldn’t pay for themselves well you can add hospital bills to the list, and also rehab sessions. So I guess it’s a good thing my sponsor decided to fit the bill for me. I guess it doesn’t hurt that I am or was (I haven’t decided yet) sleeping with my manager. I really wouldn’t call it a relationship, it’s more like she talks most of the time we are together, we fool around a little bit, then I am gone. She hasn’t visited me once since I have been here. I have got a room full flowers and cards and balloons, get well soons, and a I survived getting bit by a shark t-shirt. But no girlfriend.