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Hello everyone. Aunty Snowball here getting ready to enjoy some summer fun.   But as the days get warmer, I’m reflecting on some of those beautiful snowy days of last winter. As you probably know, I, your faithful Aunty, am not getting any younger.  I had to adjust and rethink many of my ski days when I couldn’t seem to maneuver the same mountain runs I did just a short time ago or seemed to get tired a lot sooner in the day.  At first, it made me a little sad. But, after some thinking, I now realize skiing has taken on a deeper, almost more spiritual meaning for me. Here’s why:

When I was younger, like ALOT younger, skiing was all about how fast I could go, how many runs and vertical I could cover in a day, and conquering the steepest slope on the mountain. I used sheer force to hurl myself down the mountain. This worked for many years. I became a better skier as I accepted challenges and pushed myself to improve. It was lots of fun and made me truly love skiing.

But now, time has marched on and things have started to change. Adaptations had to be made.  It’s not a bad thing because my love and feelings for skiing have deepened. I see things I never saw before. I understand the mountain better now that I’m not trying to attack and overpower it. Nature has such beauty that I never realized before. I feel more balanced and in rhythm with the mountain and better appreciate a clean turn, the mountain air, the snow-covered trees, and the impossible beauty of the mountain itself that I never realized when I was trying to prove something to myself. The amazing ‘float feeling’ of gliding down a well-groomed blue cruiser is worth savoring. The whole ski experience is important from the first chairlift ride to the apre ski with my friends afterward. Here’s where the real memories are truly made.                                                                                      

This is not a surrender to age and time. It’s about becoming more strategic. I’m smarter and make better choices. It’s listening to my body. Taking more breaks and hydrating. Being patient with myself. Stopping for the day before my legs are screaming at me so I can ski again the next day. I still remember the reasons why I ski in the first place. It’s all still there. Change is necessary and good. All because I want to enjoy the wonderful experience of skiing just a little while longer.  So go forth and ski!

Love,  Aunty Snowball   (aka Jackie, your Skimeister)