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 Cheyne Willis, Heleiwa, HI
Getting your Chance
In this competitive world we live in it’s sometimes difficult get into the competition let alone compete. A surfer not allowed into a surfing contest has no chance of winning that surfing contest. A baseball player that does not receive an “up bat” has no chance to show if he can hit or not. An artist not allowed into an art gallery has no chance of selling a painting in that art gallery. No matter how talented a musician is if his music is not on the radio there will be no chance for his music to make the radio top 100. If you ever feel in your life like you are competing just for a chance to compete, to get into the game, you are not alone. Never ever give up on a dream. As long as you keep trying sooner or later your chance to compete will come, be ready for it. And when it does come and you do succeed how sweet victory will feel. Easy come easy go, hard earned, well learned.
There was once a young man who worked at a surfboard factory as a surfboard dig repair fixing broken and damaged surfboards. Although he was quite good at fixing surfboards his heart was not fully into it. What he really wanted to do was become a surfboard shaper. Each day after many hours of repairing surfboards the young man would finish the day by cleaning the surfboard factory. While sweeping out the residue shaping dust from the shaping rooms he would study the latest creations and visualize how wonderful it would be to shape new surfboards rather than repair old ones.?
One day the young man worked up the courage to ask the owner of the surfboard factory, a master shaper, if he could have a chance to shape some surfboards. “Sure, said the master shaper, but first you must work your way up to shaping. And so the young man was promoted from surfboard repair to surfboard polisher. Surfboard polishing was not much different than surfboard repair but at least it was one step closer to becoming a shaper. First he would take an electric sander and smooth the surfboards surface before applying polish and then shinning the surfboard to glossy perfection. While many would have gotten bored or quit along the way the young man hung in polishing surfboard after surfboard month after month.
Only after mastering surfboard polishing did the young man return to the old master and ask if he could have his chance to shape surfboards. To which the old master replied, “Sure, but you must first continue working your way up.” And so the young man was promoted from surfboard polisher to surfboard sander, one more step closer to becoming a surfboard shaper. Here his job was to take glassed surfboard shapes that were freshly finished coated and sand them down using a series of rough to smooth sand papers. This job was more difficult than polishing and required more care and craftsmanship. Many months passed but with there passing came experience and skill. Before long the young man became highly proficient at surfboard sanding.
After mastering surfboard sanding the young man felt he was ready to take on surfboard shaping and again returned to the master asking for his chance. “ Sure, responded the old master, you may study under me and when you are ready you can then begin surfboard shaping.” And so each day the young man watched the old master shaping surfboards. First the old master would template (outline) the surfboard before then cutting it out with a regular handsaw. After wards he would skillfully, using an electric power plane, cut a rocker curve before flipping the surfboard over and curving the deck top. Next came the shaping of the rails and then the fine sanding. With all of his prior experience and study under his belt the young man felt confident.
And so the day came when the old master decided to give the young man a chance to shape a surfboard but not with out one final test. The old master began shaping only this time he just shaped half of the surfboard and then told the young man to shape the other side. The old master left the shaping room leaving the young man to face the challenge. After some time the old master returned to see the young mans work was finished. The shaping room was silent as they both looked at the completely finished surfboard. Before long the old master began to point out how one side was near perfect and the other needed additional work. The old master began to point out the flaws on the one side of the surfboard telling the young man what he needed to do. “But sir,” said the young man, that’s the side you shaped.” Henceforth the young man became a well-known and respected shaper.
True success is never given away it’s always hard earned. Wait not for your chance to be or do what you want in life to come to you, go out and get it. Prepare for success, always keep trying and when you finally get your chance to succeed you will.
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