What's on your bucket list?

I recently crossed something off my bucket list that wasn't on my bucket list but should have been on my bucket list. Have you ever heard of "SUP”? I didn't before but do now. It stands for "stand up paddle" boarding.

It involves something that looks like a big surf board, but with a better center of balance (thank goodness) and a paddle, thus the name, and a willingness to fall in the water.

My day started out somewhat normal, sitting in the Sprint store to have my phone fixed. By the way the service at the Sprint store at Gratiot & Hall Road rocks. My son tracked me down there and was in a hurry to have a question answered since he was scheduled to have a SUP lesson at Bradenburg Park in Chesterfield Twp. This kid has been in over drive since the day he was born.

When he told me what he was going to do, I asked to tag along to watch. The grass could most definitely wait to be cut.  We met Sarah from UrbanWavePaddle.com at the park and she told me that I was more than welcome to join them since she had extra boards.

Panic instantly set in, you want me go where standing on what with a paddle? I had street clothes on, but my son had an extra pair of swim trunks and Sarah had an extra shirt, so I took a deep breath and said of course I will. I am convinced that if I was given more time to decide, I would have come up with a lot of useless excuses.

Sarah started off with a lesson of how to do what, get on, stand up, how to hold the paddle and of course how to get on again after you fall off.  She was reminding us to put a soft bend in our knees, engage the core, use the whole body and gaze up.  I started laughing; I told her that is what we tell our yoga students on the mat.

And off we went.  It was much easier than I thought it would be, grateful that I over came my initial reaction, to go outside my comfort zone and spread my wings.  Once Sarah made sure I was on board with the concept (get it...on board), she took off after my son who I think was on his way to Canada at the speed he was going.

We had a great time and ended up staying out there for hours.  What adventures are you missing out on because you are hesitant to spread your wings and get on board?  Our instructor was an example of that herself.  She was an attorney for 10 years, quit, took up SUP and the rest is history.  She said that she is having the time of her life.

I am not suggesting that we all quit our jobs, it would be mass chaos (or mass contentment), but let's try a little experiment.  Softly close your eyes and relax your breath.  Now think of one thing that you have wanted to try, but for whatever crazy reason you haven't.  Picture it, feel it, imagine yourself actually doing it in your mind's eye. Now open your eyes....take that first step toward it......and just breathe.