THIS IS RIF - PRONOUNCED REEF
Rif is my surf instructor in Indonesia.
He lives in Gerupuk, a fishing village in a large inlet on the southern coast of Lombok. It is here Rif lives a simple, but very happy life teaching surfing with Yoda-like wisdom and care.
Slowly, slowly.
Rif does things slowly on purpose. He will arrive to pick us up, have a cigarette, arrive ready to go surfing, have some fruit, paddle for a wave, slowly, slowly.
Always be helping.
When he is not surfing you can find Rif fishing, leading the village prayers, teaching English, or working with his boys. Rif takes in young boys from broken homes who have nowhere else to go. He has made them a safe place to sleep, eat and belong; he teaches them to drive the boat, instruct surfing and to always be helping. The local surf instructor economy is made up of a legacy of young men he has trained and mentored. This is quietly genius.
Don’t worry, just smile.
Rif and his four friends created a foundation for the village kids. The children learn English, Arabic or whatever keeps them off screens for hours at a time. In the school, the boy’s home, the boat, there is constant laughter. The boy’s banter is constant; they are always singing, teasing one another and laughing. Rif married his best friend and they laugh all the time. As he launches me into waves beyond my comfort he says, don’t worry, just smile.
Rif is wise, he is kind and he is patient. He doesn’t think any of this is special. Rif says you don’t need a big salary, just do all the things that need to be done. He says when you need money, just give what you have away to someone who needs it more, and what you need will turn up. He says marry your best friend, keep smiling, and mostly he just says paddle, paddle, paddle.
Written for fun February 2023
