The sun was shining with just a few clouds in the sky.
The waves were glassy and peeling; knee to thigh.
Session reached in the van and grabbed his old single fin.
He then ran to the beach and jumped right in.
One quick paddle... two, three, then four.
He dropped in a wave just like “Back Door”.
Without a warning, vicious Victor snaked him out front.
Crash! They collided because of Victor’s failed stunt.
Session glared at vicious Victor after they wiped out.
"Why did you snake me?!”, he started to shout.
Victor quickly paddled over and said, "Man, I'm so sorry."
"I just couldn’t resist that wave, it looked so darn gnarly.”
Session looked down and noticed a big gash in his board.
But Victor's quick apology couldn’t be ignored.
"It was my mistake, I know, and I want to make it right.”
“These waves are way too good, they’re not worth a big fight.”
“Here, use my board while I take yours to get fixed.”
“I have a friend who's a shaper, he knows lots of tricks!”
Victor’s board rode really nice and the waves stayed real clean.….
Session thought to himself, “Maybe Victor isn’t so vicious, maybe he isn’t that mean?”
As the sun was setting, Victor hollered toward the lineup as he waved Session in.
Session caught one last perfect right and met Victor with a grin.
“Hey, is that my old log?” Session scratched his head, a little confused.
“But how did you do it….my board was all used and abused!”
Victor hadn’t just fixed the board; but instead he made it much better.
Talk about the ultimate story of forgiving a debtor.
With the gash repaired, a fresh paint job, and even a new fin….
Session’s old longboard was restored and now looked like a 10!
Ever since then, Victor and Session now surf side by side.
It’s a party wave for them on each wave that they ride.
This might be "The End" of this story and book,
But it's the beginning of a new friendship that can’t be overlooked.
Most of us hold grudges and find it hard to forgive others for simple mistakes or even just accidents that might take place. When someone hurts you or damages something, it’s not easy to forgive and forget. Whether you’ve been hurt by something that someone has said or something they've done, my hope is that this simple story will inspire you to work through the struggles of forgiveness and make amends with that person. The groms all around us are watching the way we live, the choices we make, and how we react. Don’t let bitterness and resentment bring you down. I want to encourage you to swallow your pride, which sometimes means being the first to say, “I’m sorry.” Life is short, and we’re not promised tomorrow. So let's make the most of today and maybe just like Session, you’ll find a beautiful friendship along the path of forgiveness. Until next time...enjoy the sessions life throws at you and keep smiling!
Living Life to the Fullest,
- Mark Koch and Allan Wrath
"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”
- Ephesians 4:26