The one about a friend of a friend.
Things are going downhill for Abuga Aroni. That is to say, the path of this longboard daredevil is blazing with the brilliant light of authentic creativity. It’s not every weekend you get to watch a film featuring someone you know personally. And even as we cajoled in the lobby before the screening, my mind raced with the second-hand buzz of anxiety in the air. This is the way it feels when you’re unapologetically yourself on candid camera.
The film itself explores the entry of this awesome homie into the beginning of his dream come true. Becoming a downhill longboarder wasn’t something Abuga a.k.a Bugzy could have foretold, but when it began to speak to him, even the promising future of becoming a pilot couldn’t lure him away from his prize. There’s something about this kind of confidence that seems akin to faith. It’s this deep-seated understanding that life is meant to be lived and in a true manner wherever one can dare to make that leap.
As we watched our homie fly down hills and let us in on what it means to be himself, I noticed his statement about this flight clears the mind. I chuckle at the notion because obviously, you would want to be entirely focused while engaged in such an activity. Whizzing past people with cartoonish swiftness and weaving through Kenyan hills at speeds over 60KPH requires a presence of mind; calm to ensure that every choice you make is guided by that clarity, and not the erratic motions of fear and anxiety.
The sayings of the sages seem to be clichés, but as the journey of life unfolds, these statements begin to ring true. Presence and mindfulness are concepts that were swiftly repackaged into buzzwords. Society notices them not as principles for the authentic life, but far away symbols for those who devote themselves to a monastic path. The gold rush to commodify into Content has covered the real treasure in a layer of dust. Once we revisit and piece the parts back together, a clear path comes into view. Presence and mindfulness are the keys to authentic living. When you show up in the moment, then all your attention is flowing towards a focused outlet. That’s when the magic happens.
And yet the story rarely ever ends at the point of magic. Experience has a way of testing what is true and what is an illusion. Time is a catalyst towards ruin or establishment. In my mind, Abuga flying full speed toward a heavily loaded motorcycle on the road must have been one of Time’s more elaborate trials. Walking away from such an accident practically unharmed is a miracle in itself, but immediately returning to the board is the true commitment to a realized truth. Failure and misfortune is everyone’s share, but to dust oneself off and return to the thing that could end you is unique.
I wouldn’t say I’m a coward, but sometimes when the time comes to be loyal to the path I know I’m meant to take, I falter, avoiding the discomfort. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve sat through a couple tattoos and on weekends, I enjoy food that’s just a little too spicy for my palate. But, when the threat of failure stares me down, it’s like a bull charging at my every red flag. I’m learning from my friends that in the face of the daunting, you must be true to the thing that’s tugging on your heartstrings, that daring to resist in the face of friction is seriously the punkest thing you could ever do.
Be sure to check out more of Abuga’s awesome work on his YouTube channel!