SURFING SOAPBOX: Leaving Laguna

I hate leaving Laguna Beach, just as much as I love the opportunity of visiting new and exciting cultures. I always make sure to sit with my mom and dad, enjoying a cup of tea in the afternoon before I leave and making sure I tell them I love them.

Over our hundreds of cups of tea, they have become my best friends.

Visiting foreign cultures and watching how people interact has changed me. In many foreign cultures the families sit down and enjoy supper together “” a dying trend in our culture, but something I would very much like to envision if I have a family of my own one day.

Sometimes it seems we are so entrenched in making more and more money and living by the code of life that society deems correct that we forget about how important the little things are, such as family.

Little things like the sound of laughter.

A good hearty hello and a smile.

Walking on the beach or enjoying the sunset.

Maybe it’s time we slow down and stop at the stop signs.

Put down the cellphones and begin anew.

Because at the end of the day the things in life that mean the most are nothing more than the pure beauty of life itself.

So tomorrow I will board another plane and visit another culture, and you can be sure that I have learned to count my blessings.

Peace.

JAMES PRIBRAM is a Laguna Beach native, professional surfer and founder of the Aloha School of Surfing. He can be reached at Jamo@Alohaschoolofsurfing. com.