Recently our teacher Dave unexpectedly crossed paths with an old surfing mate. The conversation really stuck with him. He wrote it down and asked that we share it …..
Dave: So how long have we known each other?Kev:Since we were 15!Dave: Yes, that’s 37 years. We surfed, rode skateboards, played footy, chased chicks and did all that fun stuff.Kev:Good timesDave: So what happened?Kev: Well for me, I got married to a pastry chef, got fat, over time I couldn’t do those things that kept me young.Dave:What do you mean?Kev: With the weight I slowed down. I’ve got pills now for high BP. I can’t sit on a surfboard any more because of my arthritis in my hips. And would you believe it, I’ve got the onset of diabetes.Dave: Geez, you used to be one of the best surfers around.Kev: How about you, Dave? What’s happening with you these days?Dave: Well, I took a turn for the worse a few years ago. Got a chronic back problem, nearly put me completely out of action. Couldn’t do much at all.Kev: You seem fine now. Did you have a back op?Dave: No, no op. I was really determined not to. My wife took me to a Bikram hot yoga class. Man, I thought I had a problem with my back. After half an hour I realised I had a problem with everything! Thought I would die in that first class.Kev: Is that the crazy yoga you told me to try a few years ago?Dave:Yeh!Kev: I couldn’t do it, it was too hot. I couldn’t even do half the class.Dave: Ha ha. Same. But I went back for another crack. I thought, surely I couldn’t be in that bad shape. But I was wrong.Kev: I’d never go back. It’s just too hot. I can’t do anything.Dave: But you see, that’s just it. I stuck it out for a while and slowly improved. Now I’m surfing again, feeling great and have more vitality and bounce than my kids!Kev: But the heat!!Dave: Yeh, I know. It’s hard. But what would you prefer as Bikram would say – “a slow poison death” for the rest of your days or make the effort to get in there and maybe suffer a little bit. Improve your life, get off the pills and medication. It really works. Hope to see you in the water soon mate, there’s plenty of waves out there. ”
Kev never did try again. He moved away from the coast, despite the surf being his greatest passion.
So if you’re out there mate, please remember this.
“It’s never too late, it’s never too bad and you’re never too old or too sick to start from scratch once again.”
Note from Ed: Dave is very understated about his back problem. Read his bio for the full story on his medical history.