I Paddled Out Too Far

        Yesterday, I paddled past the breaking waves on my surfboard for the first time. I was proud of myself for finally being beyond the white water and dreaded the possibility of being dragged back toward the beach. As a result, I continued to paddle, further and further from my fear. Once I felt that I was a safe distance past the powerful breaking waves, I pushed my body up and sat on my board. I used my feet to turn toward the sandy beach. 

         As I lifted my head from the endless green waves, I realized I was in the presence of an incredible landscape. Previously, I was too preoccupied by the crashing waves to notice what laid beyond the beach: luscious, green mountains spotted with red roofed white houses surrounded the semi-circle beach. 

         Out of the corner of my eye I saw my surf instructor, Frank, on the outskirts of the white water frantically waving his arms. I looked to my right, then my left; I was the surfer closest to the horizon. That’s when I knew I had paddled out too far. Left, right, left, right, I pulled my arms through the water one at a time and slowly glided toward Frank. Frank pulled the nose of my board and laughed out, “Too far, Hannah, not yet.” 

         I disagreed. My limited surfing ability may mean I am not ready for the increasingly large waves further outside the white water, but because I paddled out too far, I was able to hear, see, feel, speak to and fully appreciate the unique atmosphere and community I am in. I was meant to have that conversation with the gentle, giant waves, and the crimson, ivory splashed, green mountains. Although my actions took little courage — they actually stemmed from fear of the powerful white water — and the possibility of punishment from the ocean was not highly likely, I learned sometimes one is meant to paddle out too far. I did not paddle out too far.

           Some argued Dr.Mason “paddled out too far.” 

           In the early stages of the fight Dr.Mason led toward public access for all of the Biloxi, Mississippi beaches, he emphasized his “intent to desegregate the entire twenty-six-mile beach” (Mason, 56). His ambitious goal was first questioned by “Dr.W.P.Kyle, Biloxi’s elderly retired black doctor,” who retorted to Mason’s desegregation intent, “You might as well leave [Mississippi] now” (Mason, 50).  

           Then, he was questioned during his first meeting with the Harrison County Mississippi Board of Directors. Mason brought to the meeting a petition which would “guarantee all citizens the unrestrained use of the entire beach” and supporting research (Mason, 56). Quickly into this meeting, “Things turned hostile. Mr.Dewey Lawrence, Sr., was president of the board. “If you go back down there [to the beach] again,” Mr.Lawrence warned, “there’s going to be bloodshed.” I retorted, “Blood flows in white folks’ veins as well as in black folks’ veins, but we did not come here to talk about blood. We came to talk about the beach.” Mr.Lawrence then asked me, “How much of the beach do you want use of?” My response was quick. I said “All twenty-six miles, every damn inch of it.” This was what I had said to every black group to whom I had spoken all summer. “Wouldn’t access to a portion satisfy you? he asked. Again I said, “No, we want all twenty six miles” (Mason, 57).

            Mason explained that the reasonable possibility of achieving his goal was also questioned in a less direct way. “Now, I did not know it at the time, but the Sovereignty Commission papers show that soon thereafter [his meeting with the Board of Directors], a handful of black and white folks began talking behind the scenes about a compromise deal for some kind of separate, protected, all-black beach. I never knew about that until I read the Sovereignty Commission files almost forty years later.The blacks allegedly involved in these talks knew that such a compromise would have been totally unacceptable to me. Since my tax dollars had built and maintained the whole beach, why should I have to drive miles to some special zone, when white taxpayers could go anywhere they wanted? I was uncompromising. I guess that’s why I was kept in the dark” (Mason, 57). 
            Dr.Mason’s actions took incredible levels of courage, hard work, and persistence while he also endured a “tidal wave” of possible punishments in return (Mason, 1). Dr.Mason was meant to paddle out too far. Because he “paddled out too far” Mississippi beaches were desegregated. Dr.Mason did not paddle out too far.