Skiing off-piste or away from groomed runs is my winter time passion. I've been skiing for 33 years and have acquired a level of confidence with skiing the entire mountain at a ski resort. But sometimes that confidence gets challenged.
I was enjoying a beautiful morning on the slopes of Crystal Mountain, WA with my regular ski buddy. We were on one of my favorite runs which has spots that are steep, narrow and through the trees. But there was plenty of snow, the sun was out and I was skiing carefully and slowly. Well, I hit an ice block which knocked one ski off. I am standing at the start of what looks like the steepest run ever desperately clinging the loose ski in my hand. By now all former confidence has departed and I am trying to keep calm and carry on.
It took a long time and a lot of self-talking before I finally got my ski back on. The first few turns were very shaky and I reverted back to my bad habits of sitting back and generally using the "fear" stance. I did finally get my skiing legs back and made it to the bottom comfortably.
While shaking in my ski boots, I saw an analogy to life itself. Sometimes we get shaken up but we must remember that we have the skills and knowledge, and believe in ourselves to get back on track.
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