Weekend Getaway

Life is what it is in the mountains. The loss of control for a few days is always good for me. 

Who knows what the weather will be. Every app says something different. Maybe I’ll wish I had a snow brush to dig my car out of the snow in the morning, maybe I won’t have to. What risks are worth taking anyways?

I don’t even try to be glamorous when it’s freezing. Necessity always wins; I don’t mess with that because I grew up in Buffalo where winter lasts until May. I proudly leave the hair wand and mascara at home. There’s no room for that anyway. A million layers, helmet, goggles and dated gear take up half the car. 

The view at the top of the mountain, a gondola ride and three chair lifts later, reminds me how grand it is to be alive. I welcome the wind burn, leg cramps and chapped lips as a thank you for knowing how resilient my body is. I do not take the responsibility of the journey down on skis lightly. It is humbling to experience your limits while also courageously pushing them. So, we really do get to play with life like this? 

Après ski, cozied up in a cabin next to a wood burning fireplace is another invitation. I remember how to slow down. Time makes homebody things like cooking, soaking in a hot tub under the stars, napping and chatting into the evening with a cup of tea feel so rich. What is the definition of luxury again? I think we may have gotten it backwards. 

Our lives feel so full and meaningful when we enjoy things that give us perspective and presence. I can see how being glued to a desk searching for something to say can easily produce nothing at all.

So, where to next? I know what my priorities are.