Full Circle

She had waited for this day, dreamed about this day for so long. When the chairlift arrived, she sat down on it and tightly embraced her two year old son sitting on her lap, just as her father had embraced her so many years ago. Her mind drifted back to that day and the countless life events that had happened here since. She realized that in many ways, she had grown up on this mountain, had her character shaped on this mountain, learned many of the essential lessons of life on this mountain:

On this mountain, as a two year old, she had felt the power of a father’s loving embrace, and the trust that it instills. On this mountain, as a seven year old, she had begun to build self confidence through taking chances, trying something new. On this mountain, at age twelve, she had started developing independence and the people skills necessary to get along with others. On this mountain, as a high school senior, she had learned that to experience life and love, one has to be willing to be vulnerable, On this mountain, as a college graduate, she came to understand that it is easies to take a step away, when you know you have somewhere to come back to. On this mountain, she had made a life-long commitment in marriage. and on this mountain, through agonizing loss, she had realized the peace and tranquility of letting go.

Tips up, prepare to unload. The sign jolted her back to the present. They reached the unloading zone and she stood up, and while tightly holding her son, skied a short distance to the left side of the trail. There she was joined by her husband, her parents, her brother and his wife, and her grandfather – he seldom skied these days, but there was no way he was going to miss this. She set her son down on the snow, his tiny skis between her own, and with her hands tightly grasping his shoulders, four generations of the family started down the mountain.

Snow Sports; the Family Tie That Binds