Lake Lesson 6

For Zach and Grace. 


Two Mothers Days ago, you gifted me the SUP - Stand Up Paddle board. On the first warm day, I got out on the Lake to have some new adventures. I assumed that the goal and expectation of paddle boarding was to stand. I was worried about how others viewed me and figured they were judging. Deep down I knew my real goal was to achieve peace on the Lake. Worrying about standing wasn’t bringing me peace. 

Lately, my overall mantra to myself has been, “Do Things You Are Proud Of.” Early on, there was one morning on the Lake I told my self - “Your goal is not to fall.” I went a couple hours standing up on my new board and was proud of my self. But as I neared the shore, my legs gave way and I sunk in. I breathed in and out a big sigh as I bobbed back up to the surface. My instinct was to get right back up, but that day I embraced the water and my new perspective. The water felt good and I was actually grateful I fell. It was a soft landing - I let my body be embraced by the water and floated peacefully for a while. My mindset changed and I experienced the Lake at a new perspective - lower and immersed. I was proud that I fell. I did the thing I was afraid of and it didn’t hurt, it wasn’t cold, I wasn’t embarrassed, I felt proud of my self. I had an experience that I didn't plan and was grateful to have been rerouted. 

When I was on the Lake the other day, I saw a guy with what looked like a hang glider riding on a paddle board. He was trying to catch the wind, bending his legs, bouncing. He would glide along pretty fast and then suddenly totally wipe out. He didn’t skip a beat - he just got back up to go again. 

There was an older lady wind surfing. She had all the gear and had clearly done this before, but her sail kept falling into the water, and sometimes she’d fall in, too. She got back up and to go again. 

I saw a young boy whose dad was treading water and let him have the board to himself. He watched his son run off the paddle board and leap into the water. He was having fun with falling. Falling on purpose. He got back up and did it again and again. 

We are all floating on this watery earth trying to get our balance. Young or old, naive or experienced, we are all falling down again and again. It might be because of something we did, but there are always other factors involved. Falling can be humiliating and maddening or you can look at it differently. Falling is part of The Experience - it’s expected. Falling means that you are doing and trying. Falling is something to be proud of because it means you are in. it. - you are gaining experience and learning. When I saw those people fall in the Lake, I thought they were amazing. I was cheering them on inside my head— they were brave enough to be out there and badass to keep going. 

Mistakes are the best thing to happen in art and in life. I hope you see your falls and fails in a different light - that they are a part of your life lessons - guiding you to grow, to take a new path and new perspective. I hope you can forgive your and others mistakes, be inspired by them and see that we are all on this Lake together. I hope you find peace in your standing and your falling and be proud of both. 
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I love you. 


Beauty is Everywhere. 


- Mom