Page 64 - THE ENDLESS WAVE | Skateboarding, Death & Spirituality

THE ENDLESS WAVE | PART ONE
I’d venture a guess that, sadly, many suffer from depression and mental illness, all stemming from trauma. Unfortunately, they have never received appropriate treatment. Perhaps the therapy they did receive didn’t work. This is highly problematic because they make everyone else’s life a living hell.
How much of a pain in the ass was this deceased woman? During the eulogy, the clergyperson called her a complainer and difficult along with being ex- tremely challenging. He implored people to remember the positive aspects of her, even if there was only one. Repeatedly he asked people to not dwell on the past and move forward. He also thanked people for coming, adding that he knew it might be difficult for some to attend the funeral. I’d say this guy earned his paycheck that day!
Imagine what kind of legacy you’ve left that no family member is prepared to talk about you at your funeral, and you have to be thanked for just showing up.
I am quite sure psychiatrists could spend hours dissecting this insane eulogy. It completely blew my mind. But then again, this is the legacy of difficult people. The old saying goes, “People don’t remember what you say or do, they remember how you made them feel.” Judging by this woman’s eulogy, I’d say she made people feel like crap most of the time.
Sadly, making people feel like crap can be quite easy if you’re not careful. I’d be lying if I hadn’t done it myself. So, I will not sit here in a glass house and throw stones. For the most part, though, I’ve tried not to be an asshole. I’ll admit I am still a work in progress.
But this woman seemed to have taken things to a whole new level. Her legacy was probably set in motion decades ago and sadly, she never felt the need to change. That’s the most frustrating thing about difficult people — they are either lost in a fog of their own rage/frustration/emotional baggage, or they are completely aware they are jerks and don’t wish to change.
As publisher and editor of Concrete Wave, I had the chance to meet with many people in skateboarding. I met people at the beginning of their careers in the
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