Return to the slopes

 


I enjoyed skiing for decades, starting as a young boy and well into adulthood. I started with lace-up leather boots and cable bindings, evolving into much more sophisticated (and more expensive) gear. The technology of the skis themselves changed dramatically, from relatively simple flat narrow boards with metal edges and wax I had to reapply frequently, to today's heavily sculpted, high-tech composition skis.
The last time I skied was in 2009, when I went to Park City with my son
Matthew
 just before he left on his mission. TWELVE YEARS! I guess it ceased to be a priority for a while. Until today. That son and his wife
Jenna
 gave me a Christmas gift including a day of skiing, with a double blessing of celebrating his own birthday today.
It's like riding a bicycle, I guess - you don't forget how! And the thrill is just as great as it used to be. Oh, I didn't float the moguls down a double-diamond hill. I'm not as young as spry as I once was, and I'm dealing with some health issues that make me take things a little easier. But I can still get myself down the hill pretty well without killing myself or those around me.
Now, if only it didn't cost 10x what it used to, to spend a day on the slopes!!
I #GiveThanks for a good son who shares my love of the outdoors, for my mother who invested in lessons all those years ago, for the majesty of the mountains that I enjoy more and more.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Persistence

Image
  There's a principle of persistence that applies to climbing mountains, but also to many other aspects of life. We all get tired, we "run out of gas," we get frustrated with delays, we despair of reaching our goal, we think the job will never end, we keep waiting for the weather to improve, we become frustrated with "enduring." We give up, and we probably never know if we stopped just short of the point of significant achievement. The most growth often comes at, and after, that point of fatigue. I really appreciate the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. It was a favorite of Heber J. Grant and is often attributed to him, but he was quoting Emerson when he spoke it. It makes sense that we get more comfortable and competent at anything we persist in doing. Hard things become easier as we become practiced and proficient. On the other hand, there is sometimes wisdom in not "running faster than we are able." Or running longer than we are able! There comes a po...
Read more

"Sing, Choirs of Angels!"

Image
  "Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation; Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!" "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:13-14) The accounts of the birth of Jesus don't actually say that heavenly choirs of angels were singing when they appeared to the shepherds in the fields. It says "saying," not "singing." But most of us can't read the words they shared without hearing in our minds Handel's arrangement from Messiah. And we often associate singing with the most joyful expression of emotion. That is certainly felt at Christmastime. I love Christmas music and look forward to enjoying it each year during the weeks leading to Christmas. Many of our most favorite carols and hymns are so familiar, but yet so powerful. Through the years I've found several lesser-known Christmas songs that ...
Read more

Sensory memories: juicy pear jelly bellies

Image
  My mother was a fascinating woman, with a broad exposure to the world resulting from extensive and frequent travel. She knew all about various cultures, cuisines, and delicacies. In her later years, she had a series of strokes that made it difficult to remember and communicate. Her world shrank dramatically. I don't recall when she developed a liking for "jelly bellies" - those small, flavorful jelly beans. At some point, I started bringing them to her regularly, usually in the bag of multi-flavor assortments. If her supply ran low, she would remind me, "I need more of those - what are they? - bellies." That was all she remembered. So I would bring her more. She quickly developed a favorite, though. She was always delighted to come across the light green ones with dark green spots among the assortment. I had already developed a preference for the "juicy pear" variety myself, so it was interesting that both of us discovered that liking separately! I ...
Read more