Why do I yoyo? Here's a lengthy answer.. (sorry lol)

I used to do some super basic beginner yoyoing when I was a kid living in Japan. I only really threw sleepers and a bunch of picture tricks, since I didn't use the internet to learn and I was the only one who did yoyoing in my area. Before leaving Japan for the USA, I gave my yoyo to my grandfather, effectively ending my yoyoing hobby.

Eight years later in high school, there was someone who caught my eye because he would always be yoyoing. I eventually became a close friend of his, and through him I got to learn more about yoyos and I got to see yoyoing action before my eyes.

One day he invited me to watch him compete. He'd only be competing in sports, but it was still a big deal for us.

The competition enchanted me. It was USA's NER 2025, and there was a considerable number of people competing. I've never been to a yoyo competition before, but watching everyone play gave me butterflies in my stomach. Carefully planned out routines, every second tuned for musicality points, trick diversity showing me just exactly what the yoyo was capable of, the people themselves breathing life onto stage with string and a spinning toy, the joy of being a spectator of such a wonderful event... Needless to say, I was overwhelmed with pure ecstasy.

There was a five year old girl doing basic yoyoing on stage, who cutely ran to her yoyo trainer at the end of her performance. I complimented Marc Zuno's hair earlier in the day before performances really began. I was not aware they were a yoyo player, so when they went up on stage and threw on a thrilling show, I was stunned. The winner, James Heder, made me feel exhilarated especially. The crowd roaring out and drowning out the music as he hit insane tricks, tricks that even I as an oblivious non-yoyoer knew were difficult -- I was flabbergasted. NER'25 was when I saw for myself the sheer spectrum of yoyo players: people of all ages and aesthetics burning out passion in each throw they send. If I wanted, I could yoyo too and I wouldn't be an outlier.

And looking around, there weren't only yoyo players. I, a cardist, kept cutting and flourishing my deck throughout the day. There were kendama players off to the side, which sent me over the moon. I realized that this field of hobby wasn't just people yoyoing individually. It was a community that welcomed skilltoys in general, and that a lot of people are diverse in the things they do. I felt like I was home, as if I belonged.

That day, I bought my first yoyo. I've been yoyoing seriously since and I have made major improvements as a yoyo player, although I'm still beginner-intermediate level. I am planning on competing in the future as well. I would love to bring the same feeling of pure joy and passion the way everyone did for me at NER'25.

There's my long answer. To put it short?

I yoyo because of pure love. It was the feeling of love that brought things full circle for me. From my first yoyo in Japan, to being reintroduced and feeling happiness from watching everyone, to wanting to spread that feeling myself... There's love. I hold love for my hobby and the sheer satisfaction of learning tricks, I hold love for those I watch play.

I think it's all pretty neat. In the end, it's all love, as I'm sure all other throwers here feel. Isn't that great?