The last few days leading up to the Fourth of July, I have been breaking out the longboard quite a bit, really digging on some small, clean lines and loving the glide as the dawn sun rises, but all this freedom really makes me think about all the folks around the world who can't just grab a board and hit the surf every day. Lucky enough to be born American and lucky again to be part of a generation to somehow wiggle out of the direct effects of major war only to be sandwiched between both the Vietnam and Iraq conflicts (Is there such a thing as "dumb" luck?). Not everyone has been that lucky, however.

During this realization, I came across an interesting project. Like a flower growing in the middle of a firestorm, surfing somehow blossomed in the dead center of the Vietnam War. This new indie video narrated by John Milius examines the bizarre and symbolic juxtaposition of subculture and a politics, freedom and war…surfing under the jungle canopy of impending doom. Between the Lines looks to be both provocative and entertaining and a testament to all the folks who want nothing more than to follow their dreams but find themselves engulfed by the darkness of war. Don’t take your freedom to paddle out each day for granted. Cherish it.