We've explained it a thousand times, over and over, trying to put into words this unexplainable, ever elusive, constantly changing entity that we are in pursuit of. Why do we tighten the laces on our trainers, step out in the the streets of our towns, why do we lean down to smell the pavement, grind our toes into dirty ledges, slide our hands along metal rails? What is it that sleeps inside us, waiting until we let it out on those streets? Why do we risk the pain of missed attempts, the possibility of death and disaster, why do we keep running toward it instead of away from it? Are we junkies for the scars? Perhaps, but there is more to it than that, because this drive that shifts us from mild mannered Peter Parker's to concrete crawling Spider-men is there with all of us, it's a trait found in every single traceur in the world. The need to overcome, to excel, to exceed. With every step we take we try to make it better than the last, because we only get so many steps. We know that the end of our path lies somewhere out there and parkour gives us a reason to go out and improve on where we were yesterday, to live today so that tomorrow we can take it another step farther. Because what is life if you get up every morning and do the same thing, why get up at all if everyday you did exactly what you did the day before? Through parkour we are utilizing not even everyday, but every single thing we do, we have made every movement into an art, the art of movement.
So are we running wild in the knowledge of our own mortality, risking the life that we have? No, parkour puts our own existence in our hands, we are controlling our paths, instead of waiting for some disaster we have trained ourselves to accept the way the world is and overcome our own anxieties and disagreements with it. As a constantly evolving identity, parkour allows us, the traceurs, to change with it, ever growing, ever advancing to a perfection which we shall never reach, and that is what drives us. This sport, this art, this discipline we follow, that we find consuming our thoughts, compelling us to think it, see it, breathe it, wherever we go, has not only become a driving force in our lives, but has given us a way to live our lives, with harmony. It is not a confrontation with death we seek, but a connection with life. And for that link to exist we must interact with it, so as long as we still can we must move. So when they ask: "Why?" we can answer: "Because I am here."
Users' Comments
Display 5 of 5 comments
1.
11-17-2005 01:14
I have believed so passionately in what you said ever since I was able to connect Parkour to life and purpose for existence. When I read this, I was amazed that someone else feels the same way I do, I thought I was mad, caught up in my own little world, but it seems to be now that I really understand how to maximise the quality of my life, through parkour and its deeper-than-concrete meaning. Great article, everyone should read it!
2.
01-14-2006 09:49
dude... that's awesome. I'm totally gonna use that
3.
01-14-2006 09:50
not in a forum though, just to explain it
4.
02-19-2007 03:19
It Really Explains Why We All Do Pakour .. I Have Always Been Trying To Constantly Excel And Exceed So It's Great To See Someone Putting Their Mind To Explain Why We Risk Our Own WellBeing... Thx M8 =]
5.
01-17-2008 14:08
bro, ever since i started doing PK about 3 yrs ago I felt this way...I could just never put it into words. Kudos to you for achieving this
Display 5 of 5 comments
Only registered users can comment an article. Please login or register.
