Well, first I outlined my life. Figured out what I had learned. Then I applied my life to symbols. The ocean is the main and most obvious symbol of the book, but there is also the image of the starfish and how it relates to who I am. Most of all, I tried not to be boring or too preachy. Although my journey was a spiritual one, I didn’t want to tell people what to do. I just wanted to tell my story.
You continually speak of symbols when referring to the book. Can you expand on them?
The first is that God is the ocean and that idea is intertwined into everything in my book. But also the starfish is very important. It is something that if broken can restore itself in the ocean. It moves with small eye spots on each point as if by intuition and faith and latches on to rocks when caught in heavy surf in the same way we need something solid and real to hold on to during tough times in our lives.
As surfers, we all have a connection to the ocean in complex ways. It’s an escape for some and a place of worship for others. What is your relationship to the ocean?
That’s a good question. I think we are all able to connect to the ocean. For me, it’s the call of God. It’s as if the ocean has been calling me since I was born. When I’m in the water, I’ve tapped into some spiritual part of myself. Like life, the ocean is limitless and full of lessons for us all. From starfish to dolphins to sunsets, everything is unified. No matter where we’ve been, where we are, or where we are going, the ocean meets us just where we are and offers hope and joy for our journey.
Getting back to the book, Ocean Star does deal at its core with abusive family relationships, life decisions, and spirituality, but it's the intriguing way DiMari incorporates her symbols throughout the novel that pulled me in. While I, myself am not an overtly spiritual or religious person, I enjoyed taking her journey (bumps and all).
I guess, it's possible that just being surfers makes us more spiritual people, or at least in touch with something much bigger than we are.
Allow me to expound on that notion: Each time we surf, we are immersing ourselves in the earth’s energy. The ocean’s ice cool and sun warm currents create natural power as the wind blows over incalculable distances to send swells (each unique in its character) to us. We, in turn, harness that power and glide atop it and take it into our bodies and souls to become, what I believe to be, better people. Don’t you just feel overwhelmingly happy after a good session? Are't you just a little nicer to other humans? How magical is that?
That felt good to express, but now that I have come down from my misty mountain top high horse of surf philosophy, it’s time wrap this up.
