I hang out at the beach when I can.  Was watching some kids body surf with “boogie” boards.

On a boogie board the difference between a good ride and a poor one is timing.  On this particular day, the waves were good for body surfing.  But, not everyone was getting a good ride.

I paid attention to the technique.  The best rides came when the rider made an early call.

If you’re not familiar with the nature of waves, there is first a “swell”.  The water rolls to the shore, begins to swell up into a wave, then it breaks with power into a white foam that crashes toward the beach.

When it comes to getting a good ride, you read the swell, start moving toward the shore when you see it so that when the wave breaks, you can let the momentum of the wave carry you.

In other words, if you wait until the wave breaks to start swimming, you won’t get much of a ride.  In fact, the late start assures a short, rough ride that could end up with you coughing up water as the wave overwhelms you.

It struck me that riding waves is a bit like what we encounter every day.

Are you adept at reading the swells?

Can you see the opportunities and the risks in your life as they begin rolling toward you?

Do you start swimming ahead of the swell before the wave forms and crashes?

“Happening to the world” involves reading the swells and beginning to swim.  It’s better than reacting to a crashing wave.