which one of us hasn't encountered a 'rogue wave', an unexpected experience, threatening to overpower our smooth sail in life, our level of homeostasis? the hairs on the back of one's neck stand just at the thought of such to most.
to divert you momentarily from the power of the sea, to that of your own body, the medical world has coined a phrase specific to your own operating system, made of flesh and blood, working daily to counter life's stressors. The clinical term is homeostasis, and it is defined as follows:
"the tendency of biological systems to maintain relatively constant conditions in the internal environment while continuously interacting with and adjusting to changes originating within or outside the system." (1).
our container, equipped with these "biological systems", is an amazing regulator to the unexpected events that face us from the outside world. Our racing heartbeats, rapid breaths, rush of adrenaline, and fight or flight mechanisms are all accounted for, dealt with, and steered toward a level of homeostasis once the stressor is addressed and hopefully resolved.
what is our balanced equilibrium to do when it encounters an unexpected life challenge, a 'rogue wave'? first lets explain what this not yet completely understood phenomenon is. rogue waves have long been acclaimed by sailors and surfers alike. many age old sea stories of these encounters were dismissed as exaggerations. scientists have now documented, with detailed and elaborate weather reporting equipment, the reality of rogue waves as retold by author, Susan Casey, in a harrowing account of scientists at sea in the north Atlantic (2).
rogue waves, these out of nowhere sudden giants, manifest themselves from calm seas, threatening to dash boats to bits or provide a surfer's high of a lifetime and/or legacy of survival! Their modis operandi has been documented: ". . . as high as 100 feet have been reported in 30-foot seas, with one wave behaving in a manner unlike those that surround it." (3). many contributing factors create rogue waves. the research of such is continuous and tales of these entities are spine tingling. how though can a likeness of rogue waves be a sudden appearance in our land lubber personal lives?
first, let's consider some of the theories as to the possible causes of rogue waves. one manner in which these monsters encroach on us is described as: ". . . ocean currents can cause waves to "pile up" when waves run into currents head on. when big waves hit a strong current, it's like a car running into a brick wall, and they can grow unexpectedly and even break." (3). we have all had life experiences that have this "pile up" effect to rise and hit us like a "brick wall". when peacefully going along our own way with life, something or someone moving along with us hits this strong counter current, and then comes back at us like a son of a bitch. we are faced with a rogue wave.
another theory as to the rogue waves phenomenon is it : ". . . involves wave reinforcement, where multiple waves essentially combine their size. Once in awhile, several waves can come together and create a huge wave in relatively calm seas." (3). have you ever felt as if several people in your life have "combined" forces bent on your downfall? you have encountered a rogue wave.
additional theories regarding rogue waves include global warming, a scientific fact for all those creationists out there (5). Love Bill Nye the Science Guy! Changing weather patterns and rising ocean levels, scientists warn, will further create the incidents of rogue waves (3). haven't we all been in situations, that we have successfully dealt with before, that now suddenly seem to "heat up" or threaten to drown? we have encountered rogue waves, compliments of our deteriorating environment.
in hindsight, it is easy to dissect these situations and say to ourselves, 'i should have foreseen this or that dilemma and have done this or that'. remember friend, the fight or flight response is as follows:
". . . a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival." (4).
that "perceived harmful event" is most times ascertained in seconds initiating our body's protective flight or fight response. it is our body's immediate response to what is happening without prior warning to us! this response remains one that originates as a "physiological" response for survival! the body's defense kicks in, critical thought comes into play as an aftereffect, later fine tuning us in preparation for life's future unexpected events. author, Kurt Vonnegut, tells us:
“History is merely a list of surprises,' I said. 'It can only prepare us to be surprised yet again. Please write that down.”
yes, we can try to set out possible outcomes to prospective foreseeable events with analytical thought and planning. this can prove very helpful to situations we may feel we have to safely maneuver through in our future course, like a ship through icebergs. to differentiate, such situations are foreseeable. a rogue wave is not. life's unexpected giant crashing interruptions arrive upon us unexpected all the time. so now, how do we respond?
first and foremost, we need to be seaworthy. an 'old salt' of a seaman knows the fickle nature of the livelihood on which he relies. German film great, Werner Herzog, said: "What would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark? It would be like sleep without dreams."
So before all else, we must equip ourselves with the awareness of our surroundings and the power of perception by being in the now. this important tool has recently been heralded as 'mindfulness'. a present state of mind can help remove bias, see change as it is happening, and stall self pity to initiate our protective fight or flight response. does this take training and effort? absolutely!
authorities, as studied by law experts at Stanford, rarely rely upon first hand accounts of eye witnesses to an auto accident due to everyone's differing perception originating from whom we are and where we come from (6). mindfulness is an ongoing choice, a life long training commitment to remain present, equipping us to be in tune to ourselves and remain alert with our surroundings.
in view of the dilemma that the unreliable witness bias creates in others, it is important not to dismiss what we know to be happening to ourselves in an acute, unsafe situation. historically, many sailors died from rogue waves. the few survivors of these shipwrecks detailed how the monster waves came out of nowhere to leave their ships in splinters (2). these occurrences are now known to be true, when they were earlier dismissed as exaggerations. we must trust our judgement and react accordingly if we are faced with one of life's 'rogue waves'.
renowned author, Malcolm Gladwell, detailed this very fact in his mind blowing book: 'Blink'. Gladwell's documentation shows most of our truest perceptions, statistically, are ones gleaned in the first few seconds of consideration. he reminds us to 'trust our gut' and act with 'grit'.
now that we are mindful and know statistically we can trust our first impression made within seconds, how can we master a rogue wave? how did the legendary surfer, Laird Hamilton, "tackle these mega waves"? (6). Mr. Hamilton and friends created a system using jet skis and tow ropes to approach these mega giants and allow the surfer to 'catch a wave'. Laird describes the victory of a successful surf on a rogue wave as:
"It's something all-consuming. It's an experience that changes who you are. I just feel so alive from doing it. I feel like I get such great power,"
interviewer, Scott Simon asks Laird, "And to wipe out?" (6) Laird replies:
"It's the moment where you totally relinquish any true control over what you're doing . . . when you do fall and you do get hit by [the water], you're just at the mercy of the wave and it dictates."
Laird describes the rush a surfer obtains as "the most thrilling ride of all" (6). this description may fit for conquering a rogue wave in the sport of surfing, but not so much when encountering a life problem of similar surprise and insurmountable size. But maybe, try to think otherwise.
if your reaction, dueled with mindfulness and your body's own fight or flight instinct levies you to 'ride' a rogue wave/life challenge instead of being crushed by the weight of its dividing waters, couldn't that be considered as Laird says, ". . . an experience that changes you"? (6). Yes!
despite the many times we have been 'wiped out' by life's rogue waves, why not take heart in the example of this historic surfer, Laird Hamilton, and his friends? rally your buddies, in your support circles, your figurative garage. throw down some ideas and tools for fabricating what device or idea you need to speed up on the next rogue wave, life challenge. with practice, stealth of heart, and the support of your family and friends, you can know the power of conquering a rogue wave, and glide safely to shore.
there is not one among us who knows the future. we can not postpone it or wish it away. we can, however, prepare ourselves with the tools others have shown to be successful, to paddle out to life's smaller inconveniences. equipped with mindfulness, a strong sense of self worth, and a network of support, we can successfully top these little waves: life's daily surmountable obstacles.
these skills, honed daily, can without question, later equip us to be towed toward, with the help of our family and friends, and steer our resolve to now actually ride along the crest of a previously thought insurmountable obstacle until is descends into a safe shoreline, resolved.
life's challenges are non-negotiable. what a feeling of "great power" we will experience, in our precarious yet beautiful lives, knowing we have faced and conquered yet another unanticipated rogue wave.
author's note:
Thank you, Lucas, for sharing your surfing biography of triumph, reality, and recovery after injury. Your continued will to face life with adaptation of sport and in livelihood, along with humor, is inspiring! A Salt Life Salute to you!
Ⓒ ruth follmann
Citations
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Dave, and Casey, Susan. “Exploring the 'Wild And Haunting World Of
Dolphins'” NPR. NPR, 4
Aug. 2015. Web. 23 Aug 2015.
<http://www.npr.org/2015/08/04/428986235/exploring-the-wild-and-haunting-world-of-dolphins>
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Waves Are Out There.” SurfspotsGPS RSS. Globe and Mail, 14
Sept. 2010. Web. 23 Aug. 2015.
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<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight-or-flight_response>
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Igloo, director. Nye, Bill, narrator. “History, Travel, Arts,
Science, People, Places | Smithsonian.” History, Travel, Arts,
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21 Sept. 2011. Web. 23 Aug. 2015.
<http://www.smithsonianmag.com/videos/category/3play_1/climate-change-101-with-bill-nye-the-science/>
5. Engelhardt,
Laura. “The Problem with Eyewitness Testimony a Talk by Barbara
Tversky, Professor of
Psychology and George Fisher, Professor of Law.” Stanford
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<http://agora.stanford.edu/sjls/Issue%20One/fisher&tversky.htm>
6. Simon,
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Monster Waves.” NPR. NPR, 11 Sept. 2010. Web. 23 Aug. 2015.
<http://www.npr.org/2010/09/11/129774578/studying-and-surfing-the-oceans-monster-waves>
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