I roll into the ramp keenly and pump over the curves to get the right amount of speed. My feet stand firm on my board, though my body is weightless. As to put my mind off the fear, I breathe in and out an exact number of times whilst I break through the wind and roll towards the ramp. By the time I hit the coping and grind over the love seat, I have forgotten who I am. I blink for a second; next thing I know I’m grabbing the board with my hand, pulling it out and rolling away.

I get the immediate feeling of surprise. And then… victory. I did it! I just did something difficult. I challenged myself. I overcame fears. 

Yet the best part of it is getting to share it with the people around me. A skateboarding trick is also a product of love. It happens thanks to the people who motivate you and tell you you can do it. The people who believe in you more than you believe in yourself. The people who love the art of skateboarding as much as you do. And, ultimately, thanks to the people who built the spot you’re skating... who do it for love and nothing more. 

I have an eternal appreciation for everyone who builds DIY. How can you repay someone for something so priceless? How can you thank someone for moments and lessons? 

As I write my poems to skateboarding, I understand they’re nothing but gibberish to outsiders. After all, we don’t speak the same language as the rest of the world. How can I explain all the feelings entailed in a day of skating? How can I explain the magic of DIY? How can we explain the love, the accomplishment, the mindfulness we feel here? How can we express the beauty of skateboarding to someone who has never experienced it? How can we explain that this is more sacred than money? 

We live in a world where people speak a different language. They don’t always understand us and we don’t always understand them. Rumor has it, Spotter is in danger of getting torn down one day. They keep speaking in tongues — it's the language of money and property, profits and investments. And we’re lost in translation, unable to communicate the potential of places like this, of skateboarding. 

Today I want to express gratitude and appreciation for the Spotter locals and to everyone who builds DIYs around the globe. You all build a tangible expression of love and fun. Where most people see piles of concrete, we see beauty and art. We see an extension of ourselves, of what we can create and become every new day.

The most important things in life aren’t things. They’re experiences, memories, struggles and victories. No matter what happens, you’ve done it: you’ve given us the invaluable gift of skateboarding.

This article was included in Dolores Magazine issue #6 (June 2022).