This is not surfing related, but a personal rant, so enjoy :

The best thing about being a newbie or a transplant anywhere, is that you immediately are awarded a privilege to reinvent yourself … pretend that you are someone else – different from who you were back home – and from a rather removed stand point, you get to see the struggles and issues of the local community. You have vision from a “clear” perspective since it is something you may not have been exposed to, grown up around, and with; or despite of, in spite of, regardless of, blah blah blah.

It’s amazing how many people can be righteous and sanctimonious of things and matters that they never had to transcend or survive. Great! You didn’t get married young, you didn’t have kids at an early age or unwanted stage of your life, you graduated from a prestigious school (perhaps even an ivy league school whose sticker you proudly display across the back of your car window), you even got a great paying job and a wonderful set of opportunities and doors opened to you because of all those things. Wonderful! We are grateful and happy for you.

Place it in perspective though, dear friend.

Yes, it is unfortunate that some people are having kids early, which to some extent limits their future life choices as far as careers, education, travel, and so forth. Yes, it is unfortunate that some parents do not have the social and intellectual skills to teach their children more than what they had or learned in their lives … perhaps because they did not know how, were afraid to go beyond their comfort zones, whatever … and yes, it is truly unfortunate that education and knowledge (yes, ivy leaguer, there is a difference) was not available to them readily, no matter how accessible or free either one became.

You are indeed one of the lucky ones … so don’t hold others to your standard of success, skill, love, financial comfort, and other values. Perhaps others look at you, and with longing eyes wish for a better life and a better chance at success. This is true. But do not forget that at the end of the day, at the most basic sense of it all, you need to remember that it’s about people reaching out to other people – not for help or a handout … but just for understanding.

Not judgment.

So, dear ivy leaguer and other like you … it’s great to be very smart and very successful. It’s great to be able to walk with kings,  with your head up high. But try not to lose the common, and human, touch.