If you can't beat em' Join em'

I kind of hate this saying, because it's true and sometimes I just want to do my own thing, staying in my comfort zone---but I've learned in order to make connections sometimes I have to put myself out there and do things that make me uncomfortable.

For instance, I love to see the ocean and I love to listen to the ocean,
but I don't particularly love going in the ocean. I'm a wimp I guess and to be honest I'm scared of things I can't see. I'm afraid I'll get stung by a jelly fish or worse.
Well, I've been trying to find a way to connect with my son "T". I'm finding it hard as he gets older. Can anyone with tween sons relate? Our interests are different.
He loves to go boogie boarding and his Tia (aunt) Ana came for a visit and happened to gift him two boogie boards yesterday, so I asked him if he would teach me how to boogie board. We swam way out and after I relaxed a little we had a great time riding the waves, not really boogie boarding, but just hanging out together.

The waves were pretty big and we got plummeted by a huge unexpected wave. It tossed me around like a rag doll and filled my whole head with water. I didn't even have time to think or hold my breath when it hit me. I wasn't sure I'd make it out alive, but I did---surprisingly with my boogie board still attached to my wrist. We went to the pool after that because we didn't want to be half drowned again. I felt closer to "T" after our time together and was happy I did something with him that he enjoys.
The best part is, I had fun because I knew he was having fun:)