November Great Story by Jack Edgar, Bay Area Water Fellow
Moving to Marin had been a wonderful transition. The new and raw beauty had me fired up on life. Everything was unique, everything was exciting. I was enamored with my surroundings, from downtown San Rafael to the glorious sun rises over the bay; I was in love with this new, fresh place. Getting up early, making eggs, coffee and rocking out to every available version of Led Zeppelin What is and What it Never Should Be on the way to work was the routine; for the first couple weeks at least.
In recent weeks, the cold, dark mornings clouded with a depressing political horizon have kept me in the warmth of my cocoon to the last minute. I now (maybe) have time for some toast to-go. The fire of Led Zeppelin was replaced with the monotone voices of KWED spewing news of our president elect. San Rafael now looks just like any other American town, but at least the bay and rising, lush hills are just as beautiful. The glow was fading. The stoke, fleeting the fire. I wasn’t becoming unhappy or depressed; I had just lost the initial high, making me realize how much I crave new experiences.
On one of my days off I was cruising to Pacifica, surfboard in tow, over the golden gate. The stoke to get in the water was high and noticing this excitement I let my emotions take over and fuel that fire. The song All Through the Night by Emancipator came on via shuffle and I was quickly engulfed by the vibrations of this beautiful composition.
“YEEWWWWW!!!” I shouted, hoping I was loud enough for pedestrians on the bridge pick up some of my energy.
I let this moment take me away, fully absorbing the beauty of the moment. Sunshine, blue skies, golden clouds, the dramatic headlands falling into the edge of the Pacific Ocean. A wave of energy sent goose bumps from my wrists up my arms to my neck and head. I let the beauty of this inexplicably beautiful, magical and intense moment take me over. This was the first time I felt total control of the entire spectrum of emotions, riding the euphoria to the point of tears.
This moment brought me an unusual level of consciousness over my emotions and overwhelming feelings of graciousness for the simple opportunity of life. I was reminded in this moment how vital it is to recognize these fleeting moments of beauty and to let go and be in the moment. I know we all come from different backgrounds, lead different lives, in a rich diversity of locations, but I believe we must all remember how unbelievably fortunate we are to live in a place as beautiful as California and to be a part of such a fulfilling endeavor as CivicSpark.
This privilege can be seen as having an incredible hand in a game of cards. By taking action and helping make the change we want to see in the world we are playing our cards in the best possible way. We are making the most of our education and a breadth of opportunities which many people couldn’t dream of having. Taking this opportunity and focusing our energy to protect the earth, atmosphere and its resources is how we serve the greater good and fulfill our purpose on this planet. Nurture this inspiration, let it thrive inside and your ripple will grow. No matter how dark the horizon may seem at times, just remember the sun is still shining just as bright as it ever has. You may just need to change your vantage point to see it.