What is it about this life that makes us accomplished? Is it the acceptance we get from our peers? Is it the money that we make, take or leave out on the table that defines us? Or can it be something else?

I didn't choose the safe route. I could have, just like any of you. I see the storybook loves that some of you have. You fell in love in middle school. You went to all the dances together, graduated college on the same stage and after you got that job with the 401K, you built that white picket fence around a home that says Americana all over it. I didn't live that way.

I chose a different route. I rebelled against anything I could. My parents, my education, and anything in between that I could think of, but mostly, it was anything that had to do with establishment. Why? Because the established breeds fear. They breed the fear of change and self-expression. The comfortability that complacency has to offer is hard to let go and anything that disrupts that must be extinguished before it ruins what we have.

My parents feared the dangers of my life on a skateboard. Yet, that life on a "toy" took me places with my heroes that I never would have gone without it. I saw history happen in epic proportions right in front of my eyes, and I did it with people I was able to call friends. But I don't have a white picket fence, I just have the most incredible memories. That fear controlled my parents, not me.

The government fears a loss of control of the people. So, they do their best to keep us reigned in by giving handouts to everyone. Everything from health care to federal cheese, and mind you brother, that cheese doesn't melt. To my understanding, the government is only supposed to take care of our roads and protection. The individual States were supposed to be involved in education and the like. So, the fear of states' rights keeps the federal pockets open and up for grabs. Fear controls the government.

The church fears the gay and lesbian community. Why? I am guessing morals. But the question of whose morals is what lingers. The Old Testament is pretty vivid about the gay lifestyle and what was taught about it. Crazily, it appears that Jesus didn't say anything about it. He just said to love your neighbor as I have loved you. And, to my understanding, isn't the whole Bible supposed to point to Jesus? And, doesn't the Bible say that we should work out our own salvation? The relationship with our God is supposed to be based on a personal relationship, not a group one. Why should we tell people who they can love? If they are not being hurt, then shouldn't we live and let live? Isn't that the Free Will that God gave us in the first place? Unfortunately, fear controls the church.

But this man in the cover picture, what does he fear? He doesn't seem to fear anything at all. He is 15 feet in the air doing a handstand to entertain a crowd. And not a crowd of thousands, mind you, no: a crowd of no more than 100. He is doing it for the love of doing it. For the challenge of it, at the least, this man is living without fear. In all of my life, and adventures, this man is by far one of the most interesting and talented people I have met. His name is Kyle Johnson and not only does he compete in the Ninja Warrior competition, he breakdances. He cuts flips over 10 people lying on the ground. He hangs upside down and holds other people off the ground doing it. He likes to joke that Superman is black, and he may not be very far off from it in reality. Why? Because it is one thing to have strength in this world, but it is another to be able to use it dynamically. Fear does not control this man.

To test your strength in the world by doing things without rules or standards is the ultimate test. It is why skateboarding was such a draw for me. The individual expression that one achieves with their body over the architecture of the manmade world is aesthetically beautiful to me. When I saw Kyle perform last month, I saw the same beauty in the feats that he was performing. I saw that proverbial "Eye of the Tiger" that he had and his desire to conquer his fears. And those fears that he overcomes are no longer fears, but accomplishments. It is not enough for Kyle to do a handstand while balancing on a chair, he needs to do it above a structure 15 feet high. And what is crazy is I know that he isn't done. People like him never are because the challenge is always there.

I relate to Kyle because our accomplishments aren't based off of what the norms of society tell us. Our accomplishments are based off of what we could do at that point in our lives. I am sure that if Kyle and I sat down and talked about all of the crazy things that we have done in our lives, we would share a lot of laughs and "you did what's?" And please don't think that I am hating on those out there that followed the traditional path because I think that is great for you, but it was for you, not me. Yes, I am married with children now, and it is one of my greatest accomplishments because I didn't think I was built for this kind of life. But I am, because I did it when I was ready. Not because the world said I had to do it.

I encourage anyone who reads this to live your life free of the fears that exist around you. To knock down those fears and live is the greatest way to build a life of accomplishments. Now that I am at this age in my life, I look back with great satisfaction of what I have achieved and look with great anticipation of what I will look back on 10 years from now. To a life of accomplishments, cheers!!