“Just like your America is the richest country. Do you think there is happiness, there is no fighting, there is no disease, there is no death? No. Everything’s there as it is in other countries, poverty-stricken countries. So you cannot avoid. The birth… Krsna says, “Birth, death, old age and disease, these are your problems.”
“Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. Does it mean that these sufferings of birth, death and old age and disease, there is none in America or in other, moon planet? No. There is also same. Neither in greater portion, proportion.”
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.32 — Honolulu, May 31, 1976
I have been having a bit of a slide healthwise lately that has dropped me back onto the couch. I don’t know if it is actually trying to motivate myself or simply an inability to come to grips with my aging, but I scanned this photo of myself skating in Central Park, New York City in 1986. Despite the Nrsimhadev tee shirt, I probably wasn’t talking Krishna katha.
The photo doesn’t really convey the sensation of freedom I feel when skating. I surfed around and tried to find a photo of how it felt to skate while in the zone and came up with this one:
There were some better ones but they wouldn’t download from Flickr but if you are interested here is a better one I would have used. I used to be able to catch some air, being able to do 360 degree jumps, so I also could have used this one.
If I ever do get back to having some juice, I will try and see if I can still land an aerial. If I can’t, I will have to concede the onset of old age, even though my mind tells me that old age only happens to other people.
I found a pool on Flickr called Central Park Skate Dancing Association so it was nostalgia time skimming through that. Apparently, disco skating in Central Park has been going on for 30 years between the Band Shell and the Sheep’s Meadow.
I was working in New York fall of 1985 until the end of 1986. The park was a cost free place I could burn off some energy. Most of the skaters were sober as drugs and alcohol impair balance so the association wasn’t too bad.
One discovery was a current picture of the same guy I was talking with in the opening picture of this post. I don’t know which one he is, as he is an identical twin, but he is still there as shown in this photo from 2006. It is certainly easier to see aging in others than in myself.
Though the way I have been feeling lately, this is the only skating I could do today:
“And as soon as you accept a material body, you are under pains and pleasure. No pleasure, simply pains. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. We are trying to avoid pains. But it is not possible. The real pain, birth, death, old age and disease, that remains. What is the use of temporary getting some so-called pleasure?”
Room Conversation — September 18, 1973, Bombay
December 12, 2007 at 9:39 am
Someone told me that there were pictures of you roller skating in a parade floating around somewhere. You should have posted them!
December 12, 2007 at 10:57 am
We have one where he is in full gourd costume and skates at the PR parade. Finding it might be difficult however.
December 12, 2007 at 12:44 pm
I used to skate in parades regularly.
Peter is my brother and is referring to our hometown, Park River, not the annual Puerto Rican parade in New York, which I did bop in and out of.
I used to skate in parades at Gourd Festivals.
At New Vrindaban, for a time we used to load the Swan Boat unto a trailer and take it as a float in various parades, including the National 4th of July parade in Washington , DC.
I would costume up and circle it as it went along the route.
I also was in New York for the 1986 Ratha Yatra and I circumskatulated the cart as it went down 5th Avenue.
I have none of those pictures but would welcome them if anyone does.
If not, I’ll have to rehab and go into another parade just to get a picture. :-)
December 14, 2007 at 9:21 am
I remember watching you skate in the park. Also being small enough to slide under you and get thrown up in the air. Now that makes me feel old. Gracie has been bugging for a pair of skates since two summers back. Maybe its time for her generation of Meberg to take over in that area. Sorry to hear you are feeling faded.
December 14, 2007 at 8:57 pm
I would love to go skating with Gracie.
They used to sell old school style skates that you could lock the wheels for kids. I think they could also put varying amounts of friction on the wheels so rolling movement could gradually be introduced.
FYI, I am bouncing, did have a couple of off days.