There was no one else in the restaurant, except for one other couple sitting a few tables over. The restaurant was nothing special, he had been to much nicer and more authentic Mexican joints in his time. The food was overpriced, and the atmosphere a bit cold, but it was here, over a now empty plate that he took some time to reflect. With his feet still a bit sandy, his hair not completely dry, and his body sore from the uniquely satisfying post-surf exhaustion, he thought he could get use to this moment by moment schedule.

It had now been a few months on the road, traveling mile after mile for another seasonal migration, driving down and up the west coast. Having recently finished building his home on wheels, he had enjoyed christening his accomplished build with a trip through Oregon and California. With no one to share the road with, he found himself with plenty of time.

This new way of living was appealing to him. With no true destination in mind, and with everything he needed within arms reach, he was content. There was no need to rush, no need to meet the demands of others, and best of all no clue where he would be in 24 hours.

This complete and utter lack of commitment was completely opposite of where he was just a few months prior, and he relished in it. Where before he spent his days focused on another person’s schedule and needs, he now operated on his agenda. Instead of running errands and stopping to take care of others, he now stopped to check each and every cove for waves, and anticipated the view that each horizon would present.

More often than not, the views and coves resulted in slight disappointment, but the anticipation remained strong and permanent. The road would creep around coves, then tuck away into the mountains, only to spit him back out at the sea around the next turn. It continued like this up the coast, as it wound up and through the redwoods of Northern California, slowly putting more distance between him and the ocean and rewarding him with mesmerizing views glimpsed between the trees.

Still sitting at the empty table, his mind ran through the recent memories. He envisioned how the road laid before him began to wind back down out of the woods, when suddenly the trees disappeared and an expansive beach front view opened up before him. By then, he had been on the road all day, and it was nearly 5:00. He had written off the idea of getting in the water with only a few hours of daylight left. But with perfectly glassy 3-4 foot waves and no one out, there was no choice but to get in.

It didn’t take much for him to swing the car into the dirt parking spot, and unstrap the longboard tied to the roof and dig out the wet wetsuit crammed deep in the van. Watching the peeling waves line up before him, he began to slide into an uncomfortably damp wetsuit. He could not believe the moment that presented itself. It was an unexpected but welcomed culmination of timing, lack of commitment, and spontaneity.

Now awaiting his check at the table, he closed his eyes, and thought back to the empty line-up. His mind lit up as he relived the sunset and watched the horizon come alive with color. It was one of the best sunsets he had been a part of in a long time. Had sunsets always been that magnificent or was this one really something unique? How many of these had he missed?

These questions led him to wonder how he had gotten there. Only a few months prior he was in agony over physical and emotional trauma, and now was finding more value in a simple evening surf than he ever thought possible. It was a combination of those trying times a few short months ago, and the hard work that followed, that had made these brief moments possible.

No one knew where he was. No one was sharing the moment with him, or worse yet, pulling him away from the moment. That experience, that commune with nature, was his, and his alone. Colors, sensations, and thoughts entirely isolated and experienced in a way only the raw Pacific Ocean can provide. There was a value in these moments, something deeper than he had found in most things so far. Through a lack of commitment, he was able to fully embrace moments when they came.

His check finally arrived, and although he did not have enough money to leave a proper tip, he felt wealthier than he had in years. He felt fulfilled, from both the oversized burrito and the memorable moment he had in the ocean. The spontaneity his life now catered towards was welcomed, and he was ready to ride it out. By now, the sun was long gone, and the moon was peaking from behind a dark cloud. Back in the driver’s seat of the van, with sore shoulders and a full belly, he lit a cigarette before heading out to find a place to sleep.