February 6th 2015 – Friday
I have kept this picture in my scriptural binder since before I left on my mission. I cut it out of an old surfer magazine because of what it represents to me. It is by far some of the best advice I’ve ever seen. It reads “Never look down on someone…even if they are a kook or, say, a barney”
I went surfing early this morning. Surfline said it was going to be 4-6ft with occasional 7+ foot waves. It was perfect out and the winter time surf has been awesome this year. It was my nephew Kaden’s birthday and they wanted to surf in the morning before we went to San Diego. There were quite a few guys out for so early in the morning and we had some people that weren’t very good at surfing due to rarely having surfed before.
There were a few old guys that looked to be in their 50’s – 60’s who started yelling at a bunch of the kids out there.
“Get out of the way”
“Have you ever even surfed before”
“I’ll run you over”
These guys were dead serious. They didn’t want anyone surfing “their” break. These were just young kids wanting to learn how to surf and stoked just to be out there and here were these guys with nothing better to do than try and bully people into never wanting to come back.
I took this kind of hard because surfing is my favorite thing to do in life. I love surfing and I want my friends and kids to love surfing as well. I want them to feel the same stoke that I feel when I’m out there. But how can they feel that way with a bunch of old guys making them feel like the scum of the earth.
So many people do this type of thing in their various associations in life. They get comfortable in a place and then start thinking they can treat others poorly. The scriptures call this “unrighteous dominion”. Unrighteous dominion is nothing more than you just thinking you’re cooler than everyone else. It’s the ultimate revealer of true character. They’re “locals” so they think they own the place. Instead of being excited for people and helping them along…they ruin their day with the stroke of their unbridled tongue.
Keep in mind…you were a “kook” or a “barney” at one time in your life as well. Don’t ever forget where you came from and the fact that you were the “new kid” on the block at one point in your life.