Recently there has been a lot of emotion in my life and it’s well overdue to come to this. As you grow older lots of things tend to happen, you learn who your true friends are, you start to lose a lot of people close to you and you begin to really learn who you are and who you have become. Although some people might have guessed me to be older, I’m only 35 years old, but I have done a lot in those 35 years. Being a skateboarder for 28 of those years has helped me become the person I am by giving me the senses of commitment of creativity and dedication of following through and getting things done.
I love when people judge skateboarders as children and look at guys my age and say things like, “When are you going to grow up?” The funny part is there’s a reason that people think that I’m older than I am and the reason comes down to me being a skateboarder for my whole life. Skateboarders tend to mature faster than other people, we have more danger in our lives and have to premeditate a lot of what we do, and we all go through lots of injuries which makes us learn how to overcome difficult times and push ourselves to succeed, but most of all we are one of the only “societies” where everyone hangs out together no matter what their age, which benefits the young kids to have more mentorship in their lives and help them grow up faster with extra guidance. And this is where my frame of mind has been going lately, continuing to provide that leadership and mentorship to all those around, but more in the sense of creating more leaders and mentors. In skateboarding we were always pushed away, and opportunities were taken from us.
The skaters of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s were not spoiled with skate parks and in honesty were not as tight knit with each others groups. But times have changed a lot and we have all learned acceptance. We now know that if your a skateboarder than we’re on the same team, and this team will fight the battle to the finish line to win our rights to be skateboarders for life and not have ignorant people ask us when we are going to grow up. If you’re with me on this say your opinion and let me know how it makes you feel to be part of this revolution. We are here to make a change, to help better the world, and to provide straight pathways to success for our next generation.
Are you with me?
What???!!! It’s been a few days and no one commented yet?? Oy…. Ya Mike I’m picking up what you’re throwing down….I’ve been skating for almost 26 yrs now…skateboarding is the only thing that I’ve never denied doing or was embarrassed to say I wa a part of… Those who know and/or lived it back in the 70s 80s or 90s knows the identity of skating meant u were in a community of common-unity…had it not been for skateboarding I would not have had the experiences to see society outside of skating in a way they don’t see themselves…with said.. If u don’t like the way things are with various parts of society… Don’t sit in the corner or behind ur keyboard and bitch and complain and point fingers on how they should do things… Get off ur ass.. Get involved.. Learn about ur neighbor/advisory .. Otherwise ur no better then they are..and u may be surprised to learn that race, religion, jobs, gender, sport/activity or choice etc have not much to do with anything… Either ur an asshole or ur not…
Thanks for your comments man, I appreciate the respect.
Sorry I took so long to read it!