Skatepunks, Perseverance, and "I Refuse To Do Nothing"

I was unknowingly led to another world, hidden within the walls of a non-descript warehouse. My son was turning 10, so we took him, along with his 8 yr. old buddy & 3 really, cool teenagers to No-Name Sk8park. The boys immediately headed out to ride while I set up cupcakes & other birthday trimmings. Looking out from the viewing area, I was absolutely mesmerized! There were ramps & verts, grinding rails & halfpipes, even a waterfall & a bowl. (I knew little of these things prior to that day). I saw a warehouse full of mostly young people, in constant motion on sk8boards, roller-blades, scooters & BMX bikes.

I headed down to the floor & was in absolute awe. A teen zoomed past me with an "in your face" t-shirt which read: "I refuse to do nothing!" Most adults didn't get it. I said, "Look at these guys! You can see by their size they aren't couch-potatoes! They're all lean & active. They're don't give in to doing nothing. They always do something!" Later in the day, it was like standing in the middle of a highway at rush-hour, so I huddled next to a padded support beam. Throughout the day, I watched grown men enter this world with a board or a bike. The way they carried themselves made it obvious they are professionals who spend their week in a suit pushing papers or punching keys. I engaged a couple in conversation. Their eyes would gleam & sparkle, as they let me in on their dirty, little secret. It was a good work-out, a way to stay young & a way to keep "playing". Awesome!

There is something else that goes on in this predominantly, male world...active learning...& the primary lesson is perseverance! My son will spend hours in the driveway perfecting his ollie, his nollie, kick-flips & all manner of things I don't really understand. At the park, I watched boys & men alike roll down an incline, make a jump, land on their face & get back up to try again. Bruised & sometimes bloodied, they might repeat the process for hours until they mastered the goal for which they had set out. The Bible speaks often about perseverance. Sometimes translated as "patience", it is valued in our Christian walk. Scripture swirled in my head throughout the day as I watched this played out. Romans 5:3-5 states,"We also glory in suffering, for suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance character; and character hope." These skatepunks which are so often scorned are building character which produces hope, and "hope does not disappoint..." Perhaps the next time you see a sk8punk (or even a businessman with a spark in his eye) you will see them in a different light.