For richer and the poorer on life’s road

Alone in the middle of nowhere driving west with the sunrise in my rear-view mirror and the full moon directly in front of me. I have never experienced such a sight. My eyes ping-pong back and forth between the road ahead and the road behind.

Even in my best moment of writing I don’t think I could describe just how beautiful this moment in life is, perfectly captured in the most amazingly clear and vibrant color.

Reds and oranges blaze the sky behind and this pure Jesus-like white light screams before me. Somewhere in the world little boys and girls are lying on their backs in the countryside staring up above dreaming their dreams.

This is my dream. Searching for that perfect wave.

My mind begins to swim with emotion. Soon it’s almost like I’m watching my own slide show. Snapshots of life. Family. Friends. Love. Good times and bad. My entire life it seems is right in front of me. Dangling like a carrot.

I wonder what the future may hold.

Strangely enough, my thoughts turn to death and it scares me.

The moon has now disappeared and the sun has come up over the hills behind me. The sweet smell of clean air has become one of the most gruesome smells imaginable. What has happened, I wonder out loud. The road sharply turns to the right.

Now I see it. The smell. The reality. The reality of what it means to be more than poor. I pull off to the side of the road and stare. A shantytown of shacks and cardboard boxes.

A small group of boys and girls play soccer. I continue to watch. My eyes begin to water and I can’t help but feel sometimes that in Laguna Beach we have everything. Yet nothing. My only question is -- when is enough, enough? How much more does one really need?

Peace.

* James Pribram is a Laguna Beach native, board member of Clean Water Now, professional surfer and founder of the Aloha School of Surfing. He can be reached at jamo@alohaschoolofsurfing.com.

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