At first glance, the pairing of a world champion surfer and a world-class poet philosopher might not seem like an obvious choice for a self-help book collaboration. But local residents Shaun Tomson and Noah benShea are not only a natural fit but a powerful team with a truly inspiring message.
The dynamic duo recently held a co-signing for their new and already best-selling book, The Surfer and The Sage: A Guide to Survive and Ride Life’s Waves, at Tecolote Book Shop in Montecito’s Upper Village.
With the June gloom lifting, a large crowd of family, friends and fans turned out for the local launch of the book, a collection of self-help insights that guide you to transformation while addressing 10 relentless, breaking waves of life, from loss and aging to relationships and depression.
Surfing is a logical metaphor for life’s big waves and crashes, Tomson says.
“It’s about finding your footing, keeping your balance,” he told Noozhawk.
Adding to the book’s sense of serenity and nourishment are dozens of beautiful color photographs by famed surf photographer Dan Merkel and from Tomson’s own collection from his championship surfing career.
Both Tomson and benShea are well-known in Santa Barbara and beyond.
A former professional surfer from South Africa, Tomson rides the post-surfing career wave as an entrepreneur, environmentalist, author and motivational speaker. He and his wife, Carla, are active in several local philanthropies.
A longtime resident, benShea, a scholar and theologian by training, is an international best-selling author of 29 books, which have been translated into 18 languages and earned him a Pulitzer Prize nomination.
You need not be a surfer to understand the meaning of the short but impactful chapters in The Surfer and The Sage. The co-authors have each been spreading messages of positive inspiration for many years, and they even agree their collaboration has established a bromance between them.
Having traveled the globe in his ongoing effort to maintain faith and optimism after the tragic and untimely death of his 15-year-old son, Mathew, Tomson has spoken to thousands of children and young adults about making better decisions and changing their outlook to a glass that is half full, not half empty.
benShea writes about Tomson’s themes from his philosopher standpoint. The encouragement to have faith in yourself is one that can help those struggling with their identity or fear of failure.
No stranger to anxiety and disconnection myself after the last 2½ years, I was comforted by the words in this book and reminded of some of the knowledge that had gotten lost during the coronavirus crisis.
I dogeared many pages and alternate between Tomson’s inspiring experiential essays and benShea’s spiritual commentary. The Surfer and The Sage is a collection of advice, not a list of rules, from two guides who have traveled widely and have suffered deep losses, but still look forward to tomorrow.
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 113 Harbor Way, will host an additional book signing of The Surfer and The Sage at 7 p.m. June 16. The event will feature a joint presentation from benShea and Tomson. Click here for required registration.
— Judy Foreman is a Noozhawk columnist and longtime local writer and lifestyles observer. She can be contacted at news@noozhawk.com. Click here for previous columns. The opinions expressed are her own.