Lessons learned on the slope

Learning to ski has been a dream of mine from the time I first heard of it when I was a teen. Until recently, I never lived in a place where it was possible to learn. Last year, though, we moved to Idaho. Within the first week here, I learned of a special offered by a nearby (75 miles) ski lodge (http://www.pomerelle-mtn.com/) to homeschoolers. The package, which had to be paid for in advance, was 4, 6 or 8 weeks of Monday or Friday skiing. The $7 price included an all day lift pass and a 1.5 hour lesson. While some of the experienced skiers complained of the mandatory lessons, I was thrilled. For $7, plus $8 ski rental each week, I would get lessons and lots of ski time.

Learning ski at 47 years old is a lot different than learning as a child. My classmates, all under 9 years old were ready to go up the lift to the “real” slopes by the second week. Me? I stayed on the bunny trail and practiced . . . and practiced . . . and practiced. (That first week I got a LOT of practice in getting up after a fall.) I had an amazing instructor. He listened, he observed, he suggested. He gave me instruction and then let me alone to practice. He prodded, but not too much. He encouraged, but didn’t push. He’d give me something to work on then take the rest of the class to the lift. Once I was steady on my skis and could come down the bunny slope without falling, he taught me how to turn. He said I needed to be able to turn and stop before he’d take me up the lift. It took all six weeks of skiing to finally learn to turn and stop “on command”. He pronounced me ready for the slope. Since it was already afternoon (he’d spent some of his off time with me after lunch) and I was getting tired, I declined. I wanted to “end on a high note”. I spent my last remaining hour enjoying and improving my new-found skill on the bunny slope.

As you might imagine, I got lots of teasing about spending all my time on that bunny slope. Oddly enough, it has not bothered me. When it starts feeling mean-spirited, I shut down the teasing by adamantly reminding the teaser that I ski for my own enjoyment, not theirs. I recently had a conversation about that and realized I needed to import that feeling and sentiment into the rest of my life. So many times I have adjusted my actions to accommodate another’s viewpoint. While that is not always a bad thing, in my life it has kept me from being and doing what I want or feel called to do and be. No more. I am going to take yet another lesson from the ski slopes. While I may listen and learn from others, I will not allow them to force me to change what I don’t want to change. I will live my life for me. I will do and be what I know to be best for me.

BTW, I am skiing again this year. I finally went up the lift (the scariest part of the entire adventure!) and down a “real” slope. It was fantastic! Even more so because I did it when I knew I was ready.