It was a beautiful monday afternoon when I received a direct Twitter message from my all time favorite band, Switchfoot:
"We'd love to have you at today's music video shoot! Please be at Ponto Beach by 5:30pm."
I screamed like a white girl on the first day of Pumpkin Spice latte season! Just a few days prior I had responded to Switchfoot's invitation to be in their music video, offering my good looks and incredible dance moves. Apparently, they were desperate enough to allow a goofball like me to join in on the production.
It was only a few hours until 5:30 so I rushed to get ready. In a last minute frenzy, I slipped on my Stance 'Merica socks and pulled them up to my knee's. One glance in the mirror, the star spangle banner waving gloriously across my calves and I knew I was ready for the time of my life!
I only got lost once on my way to Ponto Beach; success! Walking down to the location reserved for the shoot, I immediately recognized the setting from the beginning scene in Switchfoot's recent documentary, "Fading West." It was one year ago at a private viewing of this documentary that inspired me to really learn how to surf and live my life with a renewed sense of fearless wonder, a preface to my 'Coming Alive' moment about to take place.
The ocean was glistening and the air was cool. A group of fans, who had also been invited on Twitter, joined me on the beach. There were six of us in total, a quaint group to share such a beautiful moment. The guys from Switchfoot had just concluded an evening surf session and were making their way down to join us on the sand. They welcomed us like family, throwing high fives and embracing hugs, grateful that we made time to be a part of their video.
We helped them set the scene; blankets, a camp fire, a guitar and surf boards. The setting was completely organic and naturally came alive like something out of a movie. It then dawned on me that this was no ordinary music video. This was a real moment being captured in it's purest form. Their wives and children were having a beach day right there with us. Laughter and chatter filled the air. These guys are known to the world as rockstars, yet this is who they truly are: husband's, dad's, brothers and friends. In the midst of a moment that they had every right to be totally consumed with themselves and their music video, they were completely in the moment, enjoying their friendships and even tending to their responsibilities as fathers. I watched in amazement as this image burned permanently on my heart.
Then the filming began. Before I knew it, we divided into two teams and began a game of soccer. It was a hilarious feat, tripping over seaweed and kicking the ball into the ocean. At one point, I managed to snake the ball from Jon Foreman, only to lose it moments later. After the game was over we gathered around the campfire and began to sing, "When We Come Alive," with Jon leading on guitar and the boys harmonizing. The camera's swirled around us as we sang. I stared into the fire, not wanting the moment to slip away. The sun was setting and our faces were glowing from the light of the flames. This moment was true. There was nothing fake about it. Around that campfire, singing with new friends, my heart came alive. I realized the thing many people strive for, surfers in particular, is just a mirage for what we truly crave. We all want to be rockstars, pro surfers, olympic athletes, and we think that is the fullness of life. But it isn't.
At one point, the director asked me and Tim Foreman's brother-in law (whose name I can't remember, please forgive me) if we could play the romance part in the video. I smiled uncontrollably as everyone taunted us in the background. Laughingly, I joked that this was all a set up. The camera's rolled and the music played. We looked into each others eyes, a deep gaze and with real emotion I blushed as he grabbed my hand. Looking back into the fire, my hand in his, it felt as though the flame was now blazing in my heart. I had come alive by the experience of this night and it made a definitive shift in my perspective of how I now choose to live: to take more opportunities to embrace others, to be a part of a bigger picture, to set my world in motion and remove myself as it's axel, to be daring in what I feel and know what I want, to be myself and fully engaged, to dream big and not worry, to try new things and be ok with failing, and definitely to use twitter way more often!
I dare you to have your own 'Coming Alive' moment and go after the things in life that matter.
