They called me faggot.

I did nothing to them. Until now.

I grew up in a small town and I went to a Catholic school system. Fourth generation actually. My graduating class was 22 students. That was with 4 foreign exchange students. There were less than 100 kids in the entire school.

I from the age of 11 to the age of 15 I was the fat kid. I wasn’t huge, but I was pretty chubby. I just loved to eat food, go fishing and play video games. I hated sports. I actually still don’t like sports (for the most part.) My parents always forced me to play sports to enhance my social skills and help me stay fit. I played tennis, soccer, football, basketball, and baseball.

I didn’t want any of that.

So in high school I just started saying no. I stopped playing sports and started to discover myself. What I actually liked to do. Things that I found joy through… and for some strange reason I loved working out. I went from being 225lbs, as a left guard in football in fall of 2003, to being 160lbs in the fall of 2004.

I my confidence grew in leaps and bounds. I became more talkative and more willing to keep on discovering who I really was. I used to be stuck in a shell. I used to be in my house nearly accomplishing nothing, but beating Zelda and Pokemon all while drinking too much soda and eating too much food.

Years later, there I was in high school wanting to try new things and find where I belonged. I started skateboarding. I always loved playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, so I figured why not? Of course it’s not that simple.

I fell in love with cruising more than I fell in love with tricks. I like a good pace, but with great control. It’s what I enjoy. After high school I bought a long board to make that void a bit more enjoyable.

I’m not a skateboarder. I’m not a longboarder.

I’m just a guy that likes to cruise.

I’ve been called a faggot while growing up, but once I started riding a board, it amplified. I’m not really sure why. I just can’t comprehend it.

What gives a person the impulse to yell that from their car or big ugly gas guzzling truck when they drive by? What’s the deal?

There was one night when I was boarding across town and glass bottles where thrown and smashed right in front of my board when I was cruising. I was going at a pretty fast pace too. Luckily I didn’t bite and fall into all of the pieces, but I just about shit my pants.

I immediately stopped and just sat down in the grass for a few minutes to recollect myself. I was overwhelmed by the experience.

I pondered why someone would find enjoyment out of doing that to another person. What kind of soul do you have to make you want to potentially cause harm to someone physically when they have done absolutely nothing to you? Where does that evil grow from?

What problems in your own life are you ignoring and channeling the stress and bad energy through those actions?

That is the only way I can think of that explains that kind of behavior.

So if you are reading this assholes from the truck that threw glass at me. I hope you can find the courage to face your problesm and channel that stress properly.

I hope you can remove the word faggot from your vocabulary. I hope that you can find some peace in your heart and start to be a better person.

I forgive you assholes. I forgive you.

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