Jack “Woody” Ekstrom- From the 40’s to the Present
On a beautiful sunny February morning I began my drive from Los Angeles to Leucadia to meet a group of women for The Divine Maven’s “Journey Through the Chakras Retreat”. Leucadia is a sleepy little surf town on the Southern California coast. The weather forecaster was calling for rain, but there wasn’t any in sight. Only blue skies and sunshine accompanied me on my drive down the coast.
I met Jessica Hutto aka the Divine Maven along with the rest of the support staff at the Beachfront Only house that was nestled on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. As we unpacked and started setting up the space for the transformational weekend for these women I couldn’t help but be in awe of the amazing setting. Women were flying in from all over the world to be here and experience deep transformation and healing. I just kept thinking “How lucky am I to be able to serve alongside this amazing team of healers that are raising the consciousness in an awe inspiring location?”
As the women started to arrive we made our way out on the patio getting to know each other and enjoying the captivating views of the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean. Throughout the weekend so many amazing transformations occurred, so much healing was facilitated, and so many of the women had life changing breakthroughs. But most importantly, we laughed, we cried, we created life long connections, and we had fun.
One memory of this life changing experience stands out to me. I was assisting the photographer with the individual photo shoots. We were taking pictures on the beach, on Neptune Drive that runs along the cliffs, and various beach settings. We met a lot of locals. Some friendly and others not so much, but one such local stands out above the rest. His name is Jack “Woody” Ekstrom, Woody to his friends (and everyone is a friend to Woody). He is a San Diego surfing legend. He stopped and introduced himself to us and asked how we were and what we were doing. We explained to him we were at a retreat and taking photos of one of the girls. He told her she looked divine! She was so touched by his compliment that she will hold it in heart forever.
Woody asked if he could give us his card. On it there was a picture of him surfing La Jolla Cove in 1944 on one side and a picture of himself with four other surfers standing in front of their longboards on the back. He went on to tell us that he was the one in the middle of the photo and all the other guys were gone now. He told stories of growing up in La Jolla, going to La Jolla High School, and surfing the cove. He told us how he and his wife bought the property and built the house that sits on it back in the ’60s that he still lives in today. From his deck he can see all the way to Oceanside to the north and down to La Jolla on the south and that she is no longer here to enjoy it with him. He is funny, he has great stories of the old days of surfing, he is so genuinely happy and generous with his time and presence. He invited us to Capn Kenos for a prime rib dinner. Oh how I wish we would have been able to join him and listen to more of his stories of life along the coast back in the day. It was truly an honor to meet Woody walking down the street in Leucadia, CA. Woody is the embodiment of love. He is a generous soul. He is gracious and humble. He reminded me to always be present, don’t take life for granted, and enjoy every moment. I am so grateful for the amazing women who said yes to their desire to grow and heal during the weekend and I am eternally grateful to have been able to meet Woody, a local legend and all around amazing soul.
During this period of uncertain times, be good to each other, be present, love with an open heart, and be generous with your time and talents. I pray you live a full life like Woody, experiencing joy everyday, doing the things you love and graciously sharing your time with others. Sending you all much love and Aloha.
