Today I dropped in for the first time
I was at the ramp holding up my board, preparing but not stomping down or stepping down. I was getting more and more scared, waiting for it to be empty. I wasn't scared of falling; I was scared of the movement where you press it. It is like when your stomach drops on a roller coaster, except you're in control. I love roller coasters, but I didn't want to let go. I wasn't scared of injury, because I knew I could do it and I knew I'd be fine. I was scared of giving myself to gravity.I waited for it to be empty. I kept waiting, then people came and came again. Someone asked me if I was gonna go, and I said "I might." I was scared of falling and rolling, having no control of it even if I was fine with the results. I was tired of it and wanted to go home.Then these people came. They weren't even skaters, just people chilling there—kids my age or a bit younger. They asked me what my name was, and they asked if I had done it yet. I said no. They said, "Stop thinking. Are you too scared? The more you think, the more scared you'll be. You just gotta send it."So they sat right there on the platform. They said, "We believe in you, you got this. Practice on the first one, the small one."I did that one. Then I went to the big one. These people cheered me on. Honestly, the only reason I did it was because they asked me if I was gonna do it this time, and I said yes. So I had to do it now. It wasn't to myself; I told them I was gonna do it.It wasn't about who it was, it was about the fact that SOMEONE did that. It allowed my nervous system to beat the adrenaline lock and click in. It was like cliff diving.I did it and slipped out at the bottom. I did it a second time and slipped out again. When I slipped, they said, "I just feel you got it." I did it a third time and stuck it! And a fourth, and a fifth, and a sixth. By that time, I was barely hesitating.Then I slipped another one. A dude who asked me earlier came back and said, "Are you gonna do it? Try again." So at least I shoved something today.It changed from a sweaty, scared feeling in my stomach to an even more scared one, but it felt excited. The sweat on my skin, the heat, the dehydration—I was there for hours and I'm glad. Yayyyy! So yayyyyyyyyy! Now I am free to skate, and I could do it anytime. And they cheered I don't know them but I notice everytime I go to a skatepark I don't even talk but I end up talking to people whether their asking about my Baird or their asking to try it or SOMTIEKS it's quiet or their asking you what's your name or their cheering you on etc . Btw I wasn't scared of falling just the pressing into the air