Board Culture: On Embracing Life by the Waves.

Photos by

Xander
Angeles

Board
Culture:

On Embracing Life
by the Waves.

It’s always been something that fascinated me, the life of a surfer. When you grow up in the city, you’re immersed in this fast-paced culture of a constant hustle and a yearning to make big money. The beach has always been a place for you to slow down, after which it’s back to reality. It’s always just been a commercial break, but never the main program. But what if it were?

Photographed by
Xander Angeles

Styled by
Asha Angeles

HMUA by
Bryan Lim

Written by
TJ Zialcita

I watch people around me constantly wanting more out of life. And when life does decide to give them more, it’s still not enough. When I go to the beach, I get acquainted with the locals who have just enough, but are absolutely content with where they are. And you don’t even need to ask them if they are.
You can just see it from the glint in their eyes and the smiles plastered on their faces. And then you look to yourself– how you obsessed for weeks about not having a new swimsuit for a trip just because you wanted to show off on social media. It’s pretty sad when you let that sink in.

For surfers, catching a killer wave is one of life’s greatest joys. Good weather and a breathtaking sunset are more than enough to set their souls at ease. While we clamor in line for the latest Nike releases in store, surfers are waiting at bay for the next swell to come in. As we let vanity consume us and invest on whitening and excessive facial care, surfers let the sun kiss their skin and are embraced in warmth. It’s not about how they look or what they have. It’s always been about how they live. They live in the little moments of long rides on their boards and simply paddling out to sea and taking in the peace around them. They live with a fierce appreciation for the beauty of the world and the rush that comes with being free out at sea. They live with an unyielding passion to get back up with each wave that knocks them down. Put simply, they live.

You take all this in and suddenly realize the magnificence of surfing. It’s more than just a sport. It’s more than just a past time, or a form of escaping the city. It’s a culture– a lifestyle that when you open yourself up to, you find this whole new appreciation for the mundane. All those superficial things you built your world around become so trivial. You realize that the constant grind is not actually your key to happiness. The actual happiness you seek, comes in the moments you allow yourself to pause.

Surfers are often stereotyped as being too laid back

and are not taking life seriously. But in actuality, they are living their best lives and have found the best versions of themselves through their craft.
Their culture has allowed them to find the genuine happiness that life has to offer. And indeed, happiness
does come in waves. All you need to do, is ride the tide.