Oh! if only I could write!
My favourite way to relax in the water is to float on my back to drown out the sounds and block the views of other people and just stare at the clouds’ constantly changing and floating. However, my parents recently taught me another (easy) way to relax upon the water…stand-up paddle boarding (SUP). During my outings in the water, my thoughts wandered to how SUP explains a bit about my life.
When my parents first taught me, they warned me not to go too far into the ocean. Despite this, I took the risk and did the opposite.
Unlike surfing, it is relatively easy to acquire balance among small currents, but my restlessness caused me to diverge towards the waves in order to challenge my balance.
Yet, I am not fearless so if I do not like the way I am going or the current looks scary ahead, I learned how to turn myself onto another path.
Turning and working through various currents can make falling inevitable, but getting back up to regain that balance is the best option to take. And sometimes I do not fall because regardless of such obstacles, I know when to kneel on the paddle board and lay low for awhile in order to regain my composure.
When the currents look too “precarious” or I stray too far from my parents, they wave from shore to come back. When I do finally return to my parents (as I always do), rather than angry for not heeding their warnings, my parents congratulate me and express their awe on what I can accomplish.
And so during these days of SUP, I realized how blessed I am to have parents who give me the guidance along with the freedom to make my own choices…and always watching and waiting for me at the shore.
The title of this blog post is a quote from the main character of a book bearing his/her name Orlando, by Virginia Woolf. She exclaims the quote while basking in the Nature and continuing her manuscript “The Oak Tree” during her gypsy life. Orlando is a mixture of fantasy, history, humor, and literature. Basically, Orlando started off as a man who lived a passionate love affair with a Russian lady and writes a lengthy poem, “The Oak Tree”. For no apparent reason, Orlando undergoes into a metamorphosis into a woman and marries a sailor. Woolf placed many ironies in this book and even mentions the process of writing the novel when she wrote the following:
Other favorite quotes from Orlando:
- No passion is stronger in the breast of man than the desire to make others believe as he believes. Nothing so cuts at the root of his happiness and fills him with rage as the sense that another rates low what he prizes high.
- This mysterious composition which we call society, is nothing absolutely good or bad in itself, but has a spirit in it, volatile but potent, which either makes you drunk when you think it, as Orlando thought it, delightful, or gives you a headache when you think it, as Orlando thought it, repulsive.
As a roman à clé, it must have been a delight for Woolf’s acquaintances to determine which characters correspond to themselves. But to do not worry, the current reader can enjoy Woolf’s masterpiece of imagination without having to know them.
And since this discussion includes Woolf, I would like to share a letter she wrote to her husband before committing suicide (lettersofnote.com)
Tuesday.
Dearest,
I feel certain that I am going mad again. I feel we can’t go through another of those terrible times. And I shan’t recover this time. I begin to hear voices, and I can’t concentrate. So I am doing what seems the best thing to do. You have given me the greatest possible happiness. You have been in every way all that anyone could be. I don’t think two people could have been happier till this terrible disease came. I can’t fight any longer. I know that I am spoiling your life, that without me you could work. And you will I know. You see I can’t even write this properly. I can’t read. What I want to say is I owe all the happiness of my life to you. You have been entirely patient with me and incredibly good. I want to say that — everybody knows it. If anybody could have saved me it would have been you. Everything has gone from me but the certainty of your goodness. I can’t go on spoiling your life any longer.
I don’t think two people could have been happier than we have been.
Current read:
Love to float on my back too and do exactly what you said…lol. I enjoyed the excerpt from the book you are reading regarding society.
Yes, in Woolf’s book, Orlando, she touches upon certain aspects of society– such as social class and gender roles.
How do you understand the first Orlando quote? It sounds beautiful but difficult for me to understand. 😦
The first quote I placed within the image of an old paper about writing? Are you asking about this quote?
Sorry, this one: No passion is stronger in the breast of man than the desire to make others believe as he believes. Nothing so cuts at the root of his happiness and fills him with rage as the sense that another rates low what he prizes high.
Dear Addie,
Well the way I interpret the quote is how one can feel strongly about — whether it be religion, politics, or even a favorite sports team — the passion for the subject drives the fervor of trying to convince others to also agree with the point of view. And when others still do not agree, it can be utterly frustrating
I love the way you draw parallels between the way that you do SUP and the way you live your life! It’s a useful skill, being able to look at ourselves that way.
I’ve been thinking I would like to learn SUP, now you’re giving those thoughts momentum. This summer, perhaps!
Here in the Hawaiian islands SUP is really popular and yes, you should definitely learn. My mother also told me of some groups that go out to SUP in the ocean to do Yoga! I hope I can master my balance to accomplish this one day 🙂
Wonderful parallels drawn. I also float on my back when given the opportunity, in just the same way. Haven’t tried paddle boarding, perhaps I should.
Read Orlando many years ago, loved it then.
Yes, Virginia Woolf writes well, I never seem to be disappointed by her writings. As for SUP. . . Yes give it a try. It’s a relaxing way to enjoy being outside & a pretty good workout as well.
A million candles burnt in him without his being at the trouble of lighting a single one. 🙂
Ah yes, I liked this quote as well.
Nice post 🙂
Lovely parallelism here. 🙂 I too like to float on my back, both in the actual and figurative sense. Also, love that quote about the passion of man.
I also liked the quote about the passion of man especially because it applies to me because I be quite passionate (and admittedly frustrated) when trying to convince people on my opinion or outlook on certain issues of today. Thank you for visiting 🙂
You definitely can write, Frances 😉 I enjoyed reading the quotes you took from the book. I like rafting and kayaking, but now I put SUP on my to-do list.
Thank you for the compliment! I like kayaking as well, but I prefer SUP because I feel the legs are utilized more in keeping the balance.
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Frances, this is so well written and organized (despite the title!) and the re-cap of Orlando–which is truly a sprawling novel–is concise and to the point. Add in the great pictures and this is the best post I’ve read from anyone in a long time. Thanks.
Thank you for the splendid comment– it made my day brighter! Cheers!
Thank you for the splendid comment! It made my day brighter! Cheers!
wonderful intro [you can write!]: “…My favourite way to relax in the water is to float on my back to drown out the sounds and block the views of other people and just stare at the clouds’ constantly changing and floating…”
SUP sounds very relaxing. The letter from Virginia to her husband is heartbreaking, but I can understand where she’s coming from.