Downhill Followup

I know, I haven't written in a while, but not to worry - I didn't die on the ski slopes. In fact, the first block of the semester is now over, which means skiing class is too. I'm excited to have spare time on Tuesdays now - for napping, skiing on my own, or - I guess - homework... but the class was definitely worth it.

Since I last posted, our class experienced every type of snow I can imagine: icy ("fast"), fresh & powdery (oh, yeah!), and everything in between. I've also bruised most parts of my body and fallen in quite creative ways.

The first week we started on the beginner slope as I mentioned before, and then we got to work on the next level up: green circles. With the right instructor and fresh snowfall, I was loving that third week of class. I still fell a lot and had to work on solidifying certain skiing strategies (hee hee, alliteration) but I came to feel like I was really skiing!

By week five, the instructor decided it was time for us to move up in the world: blue squares. This freaked me out a bit, since some of the stretches were narrow with seemingly sheer drops on the side and I had some major falls that made me grateful I had rented a helmet. Come week six and the last class, I was worried about braving the higher slopes again, but the instructor convinced me to be more assertive in my turning and I gained a lot more control and confidence, even in the steep parts. The class may be over, but I still have a ski pass and I plan on using it as long as the lifts are running.

A friend of mine who's a more advanced skier told me that skiing is all about being brave. It's true - it takes guts to speed down a slick slope and not lean backward, especially when other people are whizzing past. When you think about it, a lot of things in life are all about being brave. Sometimes it's going out on a limb and taking a class that may be frustrating but potentially rewarding. Maybe it's sharing your belief/opinion even at the risk of upsetting some people, or taking a shot at being happy, even if it stretches you past your arbitrary comfort zone. Whatever it is, it's certainly worth being brave, even when you have to try it before you gain that necessary bit of confidence. I'm still working on the bravery part, but I like to think I'm off to a good start.