Tvan
Angel Diva
Stratton, Christmas Week, 2018. The Tamarack Lift.
At first, I was annoyed. It was a lovely, crisp-but-not-cold afternoon on the chairlift. After a morning of reacquainting myself with my skis for the first time this season, I had a lovely leisurely break for lunch, the sun had warmed the slopes, and I had a chair to myself.
I was contemplating my next run, when the three little girls on the chair behind me began to yell. Not the yelling of hurt, or emergency, but the yelling of “my mom says yelling is an outdoor sport and I’m going to yell for the heck of it”. Their strident voices began to annoy me, and my inner school-teacher began to dress them down in my head.
And then I started to listen.
“Hey, snowboarder, you are doing great!”
“Skier, you’re almost there… keep going!”
“Pink jacket, that’s great turning!”
“I love skiing, you look super!”
“Stay motivated!”
“Hey Skier, you can get up again… keep trying!”
“Don’t give up… you can do it!”
For every person they passed over, these three little cheerleaders had a kind word, an encouragement, a compliment, a cheer of enthusiasm. For the entire duration of the chairlift ride.
My goggles misted over as I silenced my inner critic, and let the blessings of the three tiny ski muses wash over me listening to them bestow joy upon everyone they passed on their way to their own next run.
May your next run be as full of grace. Merry Christmas.
At first, I was annoyed. It was a lovely, crisp-but-not-cold afternoon on the chairlift. After a morning of reacquainting myself with my skis for the first time this season, I had a lovely leisurely break for lunch, the sun had warmed the slopes, and I had a chair to myself.
I was contemplating my next run, when the three little girls on the chair behind me began to yell. Not the yelling of hurt, or emergency, but the yelling of “my mom says yelling is an outdoor sport and I’m going to yell for the heck of it”. Their strident voices began to annoy me, and my inner school-teacher began to dress them down in my head.
And then I started to listen.
“Hey, snowboarder, you are doing great!”
“Skier, you’re almost there… keep going!”
“Pink jacket, that’s great turning!”
“I love skiing, you look super!”
“Stay motivated!”
“Hey Skier, you can get up again… keep trying!”
“Don’t give up… you can do it!”
For every person they passed over, these three little cheerleaders had a kind word, an encouragement, a compliment, a cheer of enthusiasm. For the entire duration of the chairlift ride.
My goggles misted over as I silenced my inner critic, and let the blessings of the three tiny ski muses wash over me listening to them bestow joy upon everyone they passed on their way to their own next run.
May your next run be as full of grace. Merry Christmas.
