Forget your fear

I'm just now recovering from a weekend of skiing with my favorite, his cousin and his girlfriend.  I had the best time. I rediscovered that old people are nice, I woke up to deer staring into our bedroom window, I heard funny stories, and learned new ones, talked marriage, got rowdy, taught skiing, revisited a childhood memory place, and above all else I had an amazing time. 

One thing I've discovered while I was skiing back in December is I definitely used to be a lot more fearless and daring when it came to physical gambling.  I used to go over jumps, I used to head through trees, I used to head straight down without looking.  I also...used to live at home, paid no bills, no rent, and the thought of a pink cast with all my friends signing it sounded a lot cooler.  Now, I worry the first few runs--I think about falling off the lift, about getting side swiped by a snowboarder....or even a 9 year old kid who is reminiscent of myself 19 years ago. 

Have you ever stayed up until midnight with a 73 year old grandma watching "When Harry Met Sally", and  not once felt awkward?  I have now.  I had such a wonderful weekend hearing stories, laughing around the dinner table, that was one of my favorite moments of this weekend.  Another great highlight was teaching little foot to ski and turn down the mountain....the one thing I kept telling her was something I need to remember...forget your fear...don't be afraid of falling, you learn a lot when you fall.  And don't we?  I mean in every aspect of our life?  In love, in jobs, in friends.  You learn when you fall.  You learn where you went wrong, and what it is you can do next to make it go away, or, make it better next time.  I watched as Little Foot was snow plowing down the mountain at a snails pace to watching her turn, and turn..side to side...and using her poles, and getting ahead of me.  A huge highlight for me.  First person I taught to ski. 

And last but not least,  Dodge Ridge Snow Resort used to be the place my parents took my brother and I when they were still married.  Nothing about the resort was familiar...but one thing was, and that was the smell of the trees.  Maybe that sounds crazy, but for the first time in a very long time...I missed so much my very young childhood, when my parents were still married, hanging out with my family was the best thing and I knew nothing better, and my little brother and I were sharing the exact same memories in the exact same way.  But, as much as I miss these things, I am so grateful that this last weekend I got to create memories with the family I have made here.