Long-boarding

This past two weekend I have been long boarding, when I can that is. However let me start at the beginning. I have always wanted to learn to skateboard. When I was younger it wasn’t cool to try to learn if you didn’t already know and I would be called a poser for wanting to learn how to skateboard. I know the irony but that was growing up in the 90’s early 2000’s. When I turned 28 I told myself that I wanted to learn something that I have always to do. So I went to my friends amazon prime account (because no one actually pays for their own account, haha) looked up some boards and read the reviews, (and naturally took them for fact, because science). Then bought the one that was mid price and ready to go here - Long board. (If you use this link, and buy the long board it helps out the blog, and cost will be the same!, so ty!)

So I took it upon myself to learn, I asked a couple other friends that knew how for some tips and where to go. Went to a place with a huge parking lot to to learn and then about a few hours in I got it! Then went to the beach to try to do it, there were to many people there. Then to a known lake with paved roads that can be used for biking, skating, running, walking, etc. This past weekend, I did that again, my last few posts have been me dealing with some anxiety and nerves, so I know I needed some sun and the gym is not fun right now (I actually don’t understand the gym but that is another post entirely). Picked up my long board and went, skating, it was exciting! There are some hilly parts and I learned to go down them at semi-fast speeds, that feeling is so cool. I would ride for about a mile or so and then reach a bench and meditate over the lake, trying to process some thoughts and memories from before to the now and be present. Then I realized that long-boarding is also a form of mindfulness and meditation. 

Let me try to connect, to be mindful is to intentionally shift my focus to something that will help my mental energy later on. Also how I have explained in another post (insert link) mindfulness and meditation are ways to feel human. I suppose this is also about being intentional in our habits, even though I didn’t fully feel mindful about my long boarding till on the way back to my car. But wait there’s more; on the way back, my leg started to cramp, and I had the bright idea that I should probably grab my leg, that was on the board, on the board that was moving... moving at least 5-6mph then my weight shifted forward. My board went backward I hop forward off the board and then I do this weird run thing because I still have the momentum going. I couldn’t catch my footing; and while trying to protect my face, I fell hands first then knees, and for some reason one at a time, like a non-majestic gallop. Each being scraped on wonderful man made concrete and some gravel. Then got over (more like rolled over) and yelled an “oww!” laughed (out of embarrassment) got up and limped back to my car while dragging my board. Let me tell you, learning to long board at 28 is great, but falling down at 28 hurts a much, much more. I get to my car and I start yelling “ow!” Louder this time; because I needed to get out the frustration and pain. I cleaned off both of me knees as they were scratched, the palms of my hands were also scratched. Then I started to cry (side note: men should cry more often), it felt terrible, but this was actual physical pain, not like I needed to go to the ER pain but my body hurt and then all of a sudden, I cried. My mindful long-boarding connected to a painful memory.

This memory, this past, this sudden remembering, makes me feel like I feel off my long board. Just from a memory, a thought. And it hurts, it’s embarrassing. It made me think, when people are going through something or have been through something, that was awful, or melancholic or both. Their bodies, my body, goes through the motions of falling off a long-board that was loving. Emotional pain can manifest to physical pain.  (i.e. anxiety diagnosis can come with an IBS diagnosis; depression diagnosis some report physical head aches and hand hurting). So yeah, if I am being mindful, long-boarding can be meditative and present-ness forming, and if I am being intentional, this fall has helped me understand how we can help people. 

Let’s understand that when someone is going through something and time has passed, doesn’t mean the pain, is not real. It’s actually really, real. Our minds hold on to this, and sometimes we need help to get back up. Because if we don’t help each other get up, we will always feel like life’s is moving forward with out us.