Soul Surfer

“I don’t pretend to have all the answers to why bad things happen to good people. But I do know that God knows all those answers [...].”

This passage, from the Preface, establishes the central question of the theological concept of theodicy: Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? In Hamilton’s view, even people of faith are not privy to the reasons things happen but are instead supposed to trust that God has a plan and purpose for each of us and that accidents and challenges are part of that plan.

“I want to use what happened to me as an opportunity to tell people that God is worthy of our trust, and to show them that you can go on and do wonderful things in spite of terrible events that happen.” 

Hamilton’s understanding of her accident is that it is part of a larger plan for her life and that God wants her to be an example of hope to people who also need to overcome terrible, life-altering events and significant challenges. This quote summarizes that belief and invites the reader to understand the point of the book even before the story of the shark attack is told.

“This island has some of the best waves in the world but my friends and I still get skunked sometimes. There is nothing you can do about it; just go home and do something else.” 

Resilience is a lesson that Hamilton learned very early in her life from her parents and brothers. Resilience is also a critical component of Hamilton’s surfing success, as it allows her to accept that some days she will not be able to surf her best—that nature, or other surfers, will win—and that she must dust herself off and come back and surf again.