Soul Surfer: Simply For The Pleasure

Surfers are a different breed. I really do believe that. They are genuine. And probably a little bit crazy, especially to an outsider. I am not just saying that because I have a passion for surfing and all things ocean, I am saying that through personal encounters with kind souls passing by and my following and love for an array of professional surfers that have become my role models. Role models are people that you look up to, admire, and strive to reflect in the way you live your life and carry yourself. In the way that some people watch sports or theater, I have followed professional surfing for as long as I can remember. Given that most of the competitions on the world circuit are in different time zones than where I live, and are not generally televised as much as they should be, I find myself glued to my phone on the World Surf League website at the oddest times. Most likely the most rebellious thing I would do during my time in high school would be sit in the back of the class and secretly watch surfing heats on my phone while trying to suppress my reactions so I didn't blow my cover. While at first I was entranced by the competitive nature and the talent, my interest in the sport turned from sheer athleticism to the athletes as people. When I think about role models, I think of Bethany Hamilton, and I can owe that aspect of myself to the days spent in statistics cheering her on silently from my seat. 

Most likely, if you know anything about professional surfing or watch a decent array of movies, you have heard of the inspiration for the movie Soul Surfer. Bethany Hamilton was just an average 13 year old in 2003 who set out for a morning surf that would change her life fundamentally and spiritually. At just 13 years only, Bethany lost her arm to a 14-foot tiger shark. She details the events of this pivotal day in her life where she was paddled to shore,  equipped with a make-shift truncate out of a surfboard leash, and rushed to a hospital all while loosing 60% of her blood to the wound. Even after losing an arm and feeling the true power of sharks and nature in its entirety, she found the courage to get back up. Well, she found the courage to get back in the water. A month later. Despite a plethora of hardships that come with relearning basic functional skills, she was determined to learn to surf again. Surfing is tough enough with all your limbs, so the thought of making a drop and paddling with one arm is astounding. 

Instead of letting a tragedy diminish her passion for the water and love for surfing and life, she used it as fuel. Fuel to fight for her abilities back, and fuel to inspire others to push through what they are dealing with. She worked and earned a top spot back on the World Surf League circuit, continued to be a powerful woman athlete, and uses her platform to inspire others to get through their own trials with faith in God and determination. Today she has a young child and a husband, but still continues to surf and travel with her non-profit foundation, Friends of Bethany, which reaches out to young girls in need and brings them guidance through Jesus, fellowship, and the healing powers of the ocean. She is such a figure of encouragement, courageous determination, and truly a thalassophile