Gratitude for the Wave

I once took my daughter to see a kid's movie called "Surf's Up".  In the film one of the characters would turn around on his surf board and bow in gratitude to the wave.  This is how life is for me.  There are a multitude of challenges that come my way.  As each one builds up from the great beyond and comes to view I have a choice.  I can paddle out and and ride, sit on the shore and watch, or swim out and see what happens. 

Sitting on the shore is safe. It is beautiful. I see everything happening. I feel the mighty power of God, but the lessons are not engraved in my being.　

Swimming out takes courage. Some of the waves are large and wreck my body and my soul. They crashed over me with thunderous power and beat my body against the rocks, only to spit back onto the shore exhausted. Yet I continued to swim the tumultuous ocean trusting that God would not harm me, but I continued to get beat up.　

As I lay there beaten and broken, it dawned on me in all it's simplicity....learn To ride. Ask for help. Get a teacher and grab a board and ride the waves  with a master. So I asked God for the teacher's to show the way, and they did. I learned the wisdom of ages. I am still learning, and I ride on the mighty crest of God's most powerful waves I am Blessed.　

Now I sit upon the shore to rest, and reflect. I swim out only when it is calm I ride the waves of life and turn to bow in gratitude.