Desk jockey by day, ocean junkie at every other opportunity... These two parellel universes rarely collide, but there are times when I can visualize the sensation of watching the lip of a 8 foot wave pitching over my head, or experience again the sensation and fear of paddling out into waves that rise like a two-story building out of the depths of the liquid. For reasons beyond my comprehension, those moments are engraved in me, moreso than a memory. All of my senses have internalized the moment, the memory of which brings those sensations back to the present moment in a uniquely vivid way.

Courage is a virtue that we use to deal with obstacles over which we have some influence. Hope, on the other hand, is a feeling that we express in order to cope with hardships over which we have no control. When you're out there in big waters, and you know that you have got to count on yourself, both of these elements are necessary for survival. When I reflect on the surfing pages from the book of my life, I realize just how significant of an impact they have had on the way I feel today.

Yes, desk jockey by day, but ocean junkie from the heart.