My Older “Brother”

Throughout life we meet thousands of people, and every one is different. Each person has his or her own personality, likes and dislikes, and views and values. People can relate to each other in so many ways: similar tastes in music, movies, books, or by having similar interests or hobbies, like participating in or watching certain sports. Through these similarities people are able to bond and can even create friendships. The tiniest conversation starter, such as how good the Yankees are at baseball, can form a strong friendship between friends. Some friends come and go, but others never leave your side, and influence your life in such a positive manner, and you begin to realize that you have made a friend for life. In my case, a skateboard helped change my life for the better. I grew up in Montclair, New Jersey, a relatively safe town where a pre-teen could walk or bike around town during the day and not encounter any problems. There was always somewhere to go or something to do, so I took advantage of that, especially during my summer vacations. The summer between 6th and 7th grade was definitely one I will never forget.
It was a hot day in July when I was roaming the streets with an old friend of mine, Kris, when we ran into some kids we knew from our school. With these friends of ours was someone who I had never met. He was holding a skateboard in his hands, and skating had always been something I wanted to try, so I approached him and introduced myself, hoping to segue into the topic of skateboarding, but instead was completely ignored! I tried again to talk to him, but he continued to ignore me. It was my first time meeting this kid and he already wanted nothing to do with me. I decided to not even try again, so I walked away and continued speaking to my other friends. That day continued with Kris and I joining our friends as they walked around town. Eventually it was time to head home for the day. I forgot about that kid with the skateboard. I figured I would not see him again, but I was wrong. It would take another five months before I saw him again.
Late December meant winter vacation, and two solid weeks of relaxing and going out with my friends. Despite the cold temperatures, I absolutely loved going out and wandering around my town. On one cold afternoon, I met up with a few friends at the local Dunkin’ Donuts. I walked into the store and I saw none other than kid with the skateboard! I sat down a little confused, but tried to ignore the kid. But as time passed we began speaking to each other, and actually talking about skateboarding. That kid’s name is Zak, and we are still friends to this day. I believe that most people have at least one great best friend, someone who will stick with you through thick and thin, someone who you can look up to and who can even look up to you in times of need. Zak has definitely been that someone to me. Being an only child, I always saw him as the older brother that I never had, and it was great to have someone like that in my life. He has done so much for me, like things as little as giving me a ride somewhere, to teaching me how to ride a skateboard, and one of the biggest things he did for me was help me apply to college. Having already applied to, and attended college for a year, he had some fantastic advice to give me. Zak has not just given me one lesson; he has given me countless over the six years I have known him. The most important message Zak got across to me can be summed up into a few simple words: Live your life. Zak was always a bit of a daredevil, and he always encouraged me to try new things and to not be afraid. Growing up I did not take many chances. I was quiet and shy, but Zak helped me grow up. From learning how to skateboard, to doing a really hard skateboard trick over the set of stairs in my local area, he always told me to go for it. I was young and impressionable, and needed someone to tell me to live my life, but to also guide me in how to do so. Although Zak was telling me to go out in the world take chances, he always made sure that whatever we were doing was not just dangerous and plain stupid. He looked out for me, and when things got too extreme or intense he was quick to tell me to stop or be careful. Having someone who is always there for me, and who always has my back is such a great thing. There were times where I wanted to attempt certain skateboarding tricks, but he knew I was not ready, so he stopped me and told me. He has potentially saved me from injuring myself more than once. I still remind myself to this day to live my life. I need to go out into the world everyday and do what I need to do, regardless of how big or small something may be. Standing on the sidelines and waiting for what I want to happen will not get me anywhere, but I was taught better than that. Zak’s message is everlasting, and important. People throughout history have made accomplishments by taking risks and trying something new. I may not become the best skateboarder in the world, but because of Zak’s motivation, I still put in time and effort in skating. That was something that Zak always pushed me to do, along with countless of other things. I can easily say he is one of the biggest influences in my life, and has helped me become the person I am today.