Surfer Friends: The Beauty of Friendships That Ebb and Flow
Wayne Francis
There’ s something about being near water that always makes it feel like a gift— especially when I get to spend time at the lake homes of two of my closest friends. I love the serenity of it all, and having friends who have homes near water that I can use for free makes it all the more meaningful to enjoy. Now, don’ t get me wrong— I’ m just an average swimmer. I have no Michael Phelps – like ambitions. But give me a paddleboard on a still lake, and I’ m in my zone. I like the control and the ability to glide on my own terms with the reassurance of a flotation device, my life vest. But surfing?
I’ ve tried. Unsuccessfully. I’ ve got a couple of friends who surf, and I admire them. There’ s something awe-inspiring about people who can spot a wave, merge into its momentum, and ride it until its natural force recedes.
What I’ ve come to realize is that surfing, while it is just a sport, is a metaphor for how some friendships work. Like waves of the ocean, they don’ t always arrive as a whisper or stick around forever. Some friends come in and then move on— following a pattern similar to that of the ebb and flow of waves.
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