Straya Day weekend was an interesting one this year. I was very very very excited about the long weekend to start with as I was on a scouting mission for Venus Goes Gidget and connecting it with a mini holiday with my man and some friends. We were planning on going to the Central Coast. We’d booked a very nice house. Surf-forecast looked promising. Weather forecast was not too exciting but a-okay and who cares if you have a legendary house to stay in. It seemed like the stars were aligning for a perfect weekend away.
Sadly, my back had other plans. It decided to start to hurt. I’m not talking about a bit of pain that’s easily fixed with some Nurofen. No, I’m talking about excruciating-I-can’t-walk-how-the-hell-am-I-going-to-surf-pain. I’ve tried everything to get it back to its normal non-hurting bendy self. I’ve started off with some self-healing meditation podcasts, worked my way through numerous Reiki sessions but I knew I was really in trouble when not even my trusted Chiro could bring any relief to my lower back. I then paid my GP a surprise visit to get access to heavy stuff…like real proper painkillers. We still went to the Central Coast. Chances of surfing were very slim at that point in time, but my crazy surf obsessed mind was still hoping to be miraculously healed by Saturday morning – maybe…
However, you guessed it…my surf-obsessed mind got sorely disappointed. No surf for me Saturday. No surf for me on Sunday. Then a glimmer of hope on Monday when my back did not hurt like hell but only hurt like a little bit of hell. I even carried my board down to the beach but then I figured that 4ft dumpers are probably not the best way to ease myself (and my sore back) back into surfing. So no surf on Monday either.
The unthinkable had really happened. A surf weekend without surfing…No surfing meant I had more time for thinking and even though I was not too happy about the non surfing bit I tried to see the glass half full and made a few more or less smarty pants observations/notes to self which I thought might be worth sharing with you:
— I know now what it feels like to be a surfing widow. My boyfriend surfing while I’m sitting on the beach watching him, taking photos, reading, taking a nap. Whilst a familiar concept to many girls whose boyfriends surf, this was a completely new experience to me. A bit strange at first but at the same time also strangely relaxing.
— At first, I didn’t know what was more painful, my back or the thought of not being able to surf. I think I did actually torture myself more with the thought of not surfing to start with. Once I got over the fact that I won’t surf, I was actually ok and still enjoyed the time away with my friends. I think it’s what some people call ‘looking at the bigger picture’….
— I’m guilty of pushing myself too hard at times and only give up when I literally can’t move. Sometimes your body needs a rest and it was my body’s way of telling me: “Relaxing time, Missy.” It was also a good reminder that we only have one body so better take care of it. I’m so naughty when it comes to stretching. This is my biggest lesson. Stretch, stretch and stretch again – before and after your surf.
—And funny enough, just before the weekend I caught up for dinner with my lovely friend Jo and she’s made the very smart observation how everyone’s obsessed with quick results, quick cures, etc and she’s absolutely right. I was running around like a crazy chuck trying to find a cure in time of the weekend rather than just resting. I was hoping to get my back right back into shape (and quite grumpy at my Chiro for not fixing me straight away), I was not even thinking about the option that it might take more than a day to become good again…but hang on what’s that saying again “Good things come to those who wait…”
On that note looks like we are waiting for the next swell to hit our shores…Until then I will practice patience and give my nana back another rest and then…I hopefully see you peeps in the line-up again.
Have a great week gidgets and friends of gidgets.
x Clauds
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