Surf’s Up: Wildfires and a Perfect Song

"I heard the word / Wonderful thing / A children's song" - Surf’s Up, The Beach Boys

I can gauge my emotional state by whether I can listen to "Surf's Up" by The Beach Boys. Sometimes that "choke of grief" hits me within the first few seconds, and it's too much to bear in that moment.

Surf’s Up reminds me of 2019….of uncertainty and also a palpable hope and light within.

In 2019, while recovering from a spinal injury and working at a photography studio, I listened to "Surf's Up" obsessively. The song presented itself like a beautiful puzzle, with each listen revealing new pieces to connect. I'd imagine myself as a character in its story – perhaps at the port, perhaps at sea – but then the lyrics "I heard the word, wonderful thing, a children's song" would ground me in the present moment unlike anything I'd experienced before. I remember one evening being stuck in traffic from local wildfires and feeling out of touch but internally alive as I replayed the song over and over again.

During that year of uncertainty about my future mobility, yoga emerged as a crucial element in my recovery. Yoga was a chance to manage my pain preemptively. As my pain subsided, I felt ready to return to teaching movement, launching my kids' yoga program in 2020.

I worked with the same group of young students for 4 years. They were around 3-4 years old when we began. Through them, I received a second chance to play and rediscover freedom. (I LOVE THESE KIDS!!!) I've always carried a wall of reservation since I was young. Even in college acting classes, I felt paralyzed when asked to express myself freely – the same resistance I'd experienced in dance classes at age seven. When asked to imitate animals, I’d literally want to Fly Away! Lol. I craved structure and preferred instructions. (Probably as a form of control.)

Working with toddlers and preschoolers revealed a lot to me: they harbor the same fears of external pressure, judgment, and anxiety that adults do. TODDLERS can be afraid to try new things or embrace being beginners. Recognizing my own childhood fears that had followed me into adulthood, I found joy in addressing their concerns with encouragement and love, watching them blossom under genuine support.

Understanding that "their song is love and the children know the way" has deeply influenced my personal development and movement practice. It's helped me cultivate an approach where ease and compassion are at the forefront, creating an environment where I'm free to be my best self.

Now, in November 2024, there are wildfires surrounding just like in 2019. A lot has changed. Now, I work with adults instead of children. Yet I still "hear the word - a wonderful thing," carrying forward the energy and lessons learned in my practice and teachings.

"A children's song / Have you listened as they play
Their song is love
And the children know the way" - Surf’s Up, The Beach Boys