Somewhere recently I read someone make an analogy of playing music to surfing, and this is the image that came to mind. 6 a.m. - Saturday - The Ocean Jim paddles his board out across the morning ocean. The cool brisk air washes over him, but he doesn't mind one bit. Every moment out here is precious to him, as he finds that perfect spot out in the water. The weather is perfect today for waves, and soon Jim finds himself exactly where he wants to be. As he readies himself the thought never crosses his mind that any other day he would not be awake at this hour, especially on a weekend, this is perfect surf. The anticipation builds as the best wave builds up behind him, and at the perfect moment without a moment's thought to the occasion he pops up on his board and rides the wave towards the shore. He can feel the water carving against his board and into his feet, and he swings his board back and forth with the flow. He crashes hard into the water and everything is a blur for just a moment, but he comes to the surface, grabs his board, and paddles back out to do it all again. 6 a.m. - That Same Saturday - That Same Ocean James' aching muscles drag the paddles across the water, his little boat crashing into each wave. He can make a few bucks this weekend selling fish down at the market, but that's not where his mind is today. His mind is on the night before, and the argument he had with his wife because they were short on the rent again. His wages had been cut at the plant again, and there was talk of unions, which only meant a strike was coming somewhere down the road. He had worked late last night, and the last thing he wanted to do was to be out here on the water, but he knew of a little place where the fish liked to hide during weather like this. He shivered in the cold morning air, and the mist from the ocean wasn't making things any better. Cold like this was going to make the arthritis in his shoulder act up again, he just knew it. And sure enough it did. Out there on the water Jim and James met eyes for a moment, and just for that instant their minds traded places. ------- Image borrowed from beachzz photograph "Every Which Way" http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=2143266&user_id=513196&member&np (hope you don't mind)