For the love, passion, and obsession

Do you have that one thing in your life that you feel you can't live without? For some people it's their cell phones or coffee or for high schoolers, it's their boyfriend or girlfriend that they have been dating for three days, others its running, well mine is surfing. I just went surfing with my dad today and it was awesome, well it always is. Surfing brings this calm over me, almost puts me in a zen type state. Surfing keeps me happy. When I am out there I think a lot, about everything, sometimes (when no one is around) I even talk to myself. I forget about everything that stresses me out or anything bad that is happening. It is me and the ocean, as one. It's really hard to put in words. When someone says, "well you don't have to go surfing" or something along those lines when I state I don't have time for something else, I always reply with "yes I do." Because in fact I do. My first year in college I had depression. A lot happened that year, I moved out for the first time, with roommates that I didn't care for, my surf coach died, my grandfather dies right before my birthday, basically my whole world flipped upside down. I think surfing and the depression went hand in hand. I was depressed so I stopped surfing, and I got deeper into the depression because I wasn't surfing so I was unable to clear my mind and just sit and be one with the ocean. I didn't realize at the time how much surfing keeps me healthy. Now I do. If I don't surf I get restless, cranky, upset and my stresses stay bundled. I have to surf. The more I surf, the happier I am. Yes most people don't get it when I put other things aside to surf. They don't get that I need the salt water in my brain, the sun on my skin and that perfect wave to remember that night in my dreams. It's an addiction. We go out there in search of that perfect wave. The ocean is our home, our safe haven. We belong out there. I am so lucky that I share this passion with my father and now fiancé and hope my kids will also find the same stoke that has plagued me. I feel that the ocean is the reason for the strong bond between me and my dad. I also feel that it has helped us survive some of the worst times in our lives. I truly think it has saved me in more ways then one. I wish everyone can have this kind of passion.