Every time I come here I learn something new about myself.

        Bali has always been a place of reflection and resolution for me. Every time I come here I learn something new about myself.

         Today I learned that I am very bad at surfing. I have all the equipment. But I need a tad more upper body strength, a smidgen more bravery, and 10 years taken off my age.

        After surfing today, I heard a voice calling my name from down the beach. It was my first surf teacher. I haven't seen him since he taught me how to surf many, many, many years ago. Ile remembered me! I was so surprised Ile then immediately chastised me for surfing on the easy beach break and ordered me lo go surfing on the sharp, shallow, dangerous coral reefs. He always was a strict teacher.

       I remembered my very first day of surfing all those years ago. We gol lo the very same beach was surfing at today carly in the morning. At the edge of the water some people were standing around a large white object that I thought was a fish someone had caught. As we got closer, l realized il was a person who had drowned. My surf teacher dragged me past him and insisted on having the lesson. Because, as he said, we all die one day, and it's better to have surfed before you do.