Gratitude Day 154/1: Snow. It has been years since I played in the snow. Growing up at times we lived in snow areas for a while so I have fond memories of bundling up in the morning with so many layers I felt like the Michelin Man or Big Hero 6 for you younger folks. Snow men, snow ball fights, Winter ice forts and making snow angels in the freshly fallen powder. It all brings a smile to my face. We never lived in deep snow territory so those of you with memories of shoveling snow out of you drive way every day, trudging through the salty slush on the way to school and any other justifiably negative snow memories I understand but cant relate. Snow for me is only good, magical and mysterious. By the time I was eight our family had moved to Georgia so my early snow memories were all I had with the exception of a very few feeble flurries that occurred every few years (more ice storm than snow at times). My only ski trips to Georgia Mountains happened in my late high school and College years short jaunts to the slopes with fun but pitiful attempts to make it down without breaking a leg, hitting a tree or taking out other struggling skiers. I watched in amazement as seasoned pros or naturally talented kids swooshed by hardly making a sound loose, nimble, confident and relaxed. I hated them only because I wanted to be them gliding effortlessly straight down the steepest slope perfectly balanced moving in synchronicity and harmony with nature and the earth. The element that was missing for me in the equation was time. All I was seeing was the culmination of the hundreds maybe thousands of hours those winter warriors had invested in their quest for blissful balance and quiet command of the skills required to master their desire to tame the mountains of their choice. Factors had kept me from sharing their amazing ability geography, finances, my desire, parental indifference, peer desire, unknown potential talent all of the facets that determine what a person will or will not attempt or ever hope of excelling in. When My daughter Georgia and I were invited by our friend Ramon to Mountain High for a day of Skiing and snow boarding with some of her soccer team mates I wasnt sure if I would get on the slopes but I had to go, it would be my daughters first snow experience. Realizing that I had no expectations I watched Georgia go off with her friends to ski school. I re-learned how to clip into my snow board and found my balance little by little as I went up and down the baby slope. Then I pushed myself to tackle the medium slope slow and easy enjoying the ride soaking it all in, the grace and beauty of the experts flying by me, the disaster and chaos of avoiding those falling all around me alive and cold and floating on white powder from the top to the bottom. Looking for Georgia and her friends knowing how much fun she is having. What an amazing way to close out the last day of 2014. Cant wait to see what 2015 brings.......with Lisa Campbell McCorkle
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 05:11:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015