Staying in Control

Everyone get’s burned from time to time.   No big deal, people make bad decisions.  When that happens it should be acknowledged and life goes on.   Sometimes dirty looks are given (Stage I) or it escalates to harsh words (Stage II)  or actual fisticuffs (Stage III).  
It must be spring break or just that the fair weather has returned resulting in a lot of new faces with very little surf etiquette.  Toward the end of my session today I got jacked three times in a row by the same crew of new faces causing me to escalate the situation to Stage II.  That’s not me, after all these years you would think that I could control myself and not let their bad karma affect me.   What would happen if the object of my outburst wanted to go to Stage III?   I can certainly hold my own having grown up in the Pico Rivera and being one of 10 boys in our family, fighting was a survival mode of sorts.  But why let it get to that level and any resulting consequences?  Life’s too short and all this tension will just shorten your life and affect your mojo.   The Duke said it best “Just take your time - wave comes. Let the other guys go, catch another one”.   Words to live by.