by Austin

December 21, 2010

December 20th, 2010



Total Distance for today: 0 miles
Total Distance for Tour: approx. 553 miles
LOCATION: Tour Paused for Holidays in Raleigh, NC. I’m visiting with family, friends, and fans back in Fowlerville, MI
STATUS: Feeling a bit like the singer of this song.

Not a Good Day

It’s funny: Being the “Freedom Skater” can make one think that one must be constantly positive, but that’s rather stupid, to be honest. Sometimes, to be truly optimistic, we have to be courageous enough to admit that things are not currently what we want them to be. That’s the only way to even think about changing them. It is in admitting that we still feel pain that we give authenticity to our optimism.


Today was rough. I had to do something that was painful for me and painful for someone else. I won’t go into detail, but suffice to say: The path I’m on right now requires an independent strength and a willingness to let go of all attachment. It’s a great journey (I’m not just talking about the skate), but it can be one of solitude. I’ve been here before. What I did then turned out to be the right choice, and I can do it again now. Still… This feels different. Yeah, even if I’ve learned to use pain to grow stronger, I still feel pain. That’s especially the case when I have to do something that hurts someone else too.


It’s a wonderful awful thing when you learn that all pain must be turned to joy, but I don’t regret my disposition. I’m certainly not looking for pity. I am most fortunate among men. But this hurts, and I’m just honestly recording this part of the journey. So there you have it: “The Freedom Skater” is certainly still human.

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About the author 

Austin

From a 3412 mile inline skate across America for Freedom to a pilgrimage halfway around the world, speaker and life coach, Austin Szelkowski has lived an intrepid spiritual journey. Over the last 11 years, he has skated across a continent, built 3 successful businesses, been enlightened by a mind-bending spiritual awakening, and endured a terrifying dark night of the soul journey in 2017. His story brings courage in the darkest places – providing a sense of spiritual adventure and hope.

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