John H. Wilson School 1973

94

I just met a guy named Kevin who I’ve never met before. He asked me “hey, did you go to Wilson Elementary School?” I said “yes, but not really because I use to run away from school every morning after my Mom dropped me off.”  Yes, I was a 6 year old traumatized kid that hated school so after my Mom would drop me off, I would run home and hide outside in the bushes. Then my Grandpa use to always come and look for me. I have absolutely no memory of even walking into the classroom. Anyway, Kevin said he remembers me. A few days later, he sent me this class photo of our 1st grade.

Do you know which one is me?  Gosh, there were a lot of cute girls in my class.  I should have gone to school more often.  Haha.  

No wonder I was traumatized.  I get the chills looking at this.  Look at my haircut my Mom use to always give me before picture taking day.  I was called “rice bowl haircut” because of that.  I was also called “Frankenstein” because of my jaw underbite.  I was also the smallest kid in my grade so I got teased all the time.  Kids were mean back then.  I’m just grateful for surviving that dark time in my life because I remember going to sleep every night not wanting to wake up the next morning.  So looking back at myself at age 6 makes me so grateful to be alive.  And maybe that’s why I enjoy my life so much more now.  I’m living my life now as a big kid that should have enjoyed it back then.  It’s never too late…

KIRBY FUKUNAGA
ハワイで生まれ育ち、プロサーファー、フォイラー、スキンダイバー、カメラマンの肩書きを持ち、ウォーターマンとして、海で多くの時間を過ごし、海から多くのモノをもらいながら生活しています。彼が伝えようとしていることは、海がある生活は僕らを豊かにしてくれるということ。そして、自分だけではなく、いろいろなことをみんなにシェアし、人生を楽しむということ。現在は、ハワイでプライベートサーフィンガイドを主催。
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