Enjoying a beautiful beach on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca Mexico far from cell coverage and broadband connections I was suddenly compelled to take a late afternoon swim.
I jumped in the ocean and swam out to where a few surfers were waiting to catch a wave. I watched one fail then another and decided to show them how it was done. I moved into position out beyond where the waves were braking, as the next wave approached I began to swim hard towards the shore till the wave caught me, then I hung on and rode all the way to the sand. As I finished my demonstration a vivid memory struck me; body surfing as a boy on my Dads back on the Atlantic coast of New York many years ago.
The next morning I jumped into the water and rode two more waves to the shore and again vividly recalling how I learned this amazing skill on the back of my father.
I had just gone a week without touching a computer, so I headed into the village to check my messages. Moving through mountains of email the subject line Dad on an email from my Uncle caught my attention. My Dad had died yesterday at just the time I jumped into the water and we rode a wave together again.