Sk8er Boy
“Great, one more thing to suck at..”
This is what I thought the second time I got on the skateboard.
In my early teens, I was very excited to get my first #skateboard there was a sparkle in my eye. I was going to learn how to Ollie! I didn’t care about riding, all I cared about was doing the super cool tricks. I gave it a shot and fell instantly. I got up, dusted myself off, and thought “Hell, I’ll give it another go. I tried and fell, then tried again and fell again, but I kept trying. Countless attempts later - there it was! I’d done an Ollie. I was Tony Hawk material after! all contrary to what you might think, that’s how far I got and dropped skating altogether. This was probably 10 years ago.
Recently, I’ve been on this journey of self (re)discovery - music, sports, art… every little quirky detail that made me - me. It all started with what I was into when I was younger. Lo and behold, my trusty skateboard was staring at me expectantly from a rack back in my parents’ home. Minutes later, it was back in my hands, and the spark I had as a child was back! I don’t know about you, but I love/hate trying out new things. Love because I’m curious to explore new ways I could put my body in motion, and hate, because of the initial learning curve and the constant and consistent failure.
But here’s the thing: I was a mess when I first hopped back on that board. I was wobbly as hell, couldn’t remember any tricks (seriously, I forgot how to do an Ollie!), and to top it off, my board is as loud as a thunderstorm. I was so self-conscious, thinking everyone was watching… and judging me. But you know what? I said, “Screw it!” I pushed through the fear, determined to learn how to skate the right way this time around.
And let me tell you, it isn’t all smooth sailing. My rides are more like a rollercoaster with all the wobbling going on. But you know what else? I’m loving every minute of it. The wind in my hair, the freedom I feel - it’s like therapy. No fancy tricks or smooth moves, just pure joy wobbling my way along. To top it all off, I found a skater friend to wobble with, who encourages me to ride as often as I can, and most important of all - enjoy the ride.