Why we ski

We don’t ski anymore to hunt reindeer like some Nordic people started to, thousands of years ago. Today, we mostly ski just for fun and, boy, what fun this sport can be. Speaking for myself, I find it the closest activity there is to flying. In many ways, it provides me with a sensation of speedy fluidity that liberates me from the tyranny of gravity. On skis, I constantly challenge myself and still can get scared at times, reach high speeds, turn on a dime, jump obstacles or even fly. It keeps me connected with the child in me and always brings a huge smile on my face. Sure it also gets me out in nature during the long winter months, let me absorb all of the mountains’ beauty and provides me with a healthy daily dose of cool air and bright sun. As importantly, it’s a wonderful way for forget everything - a form of mental therapy. Because it demands constant concentration, there is no way I could multi-task well while skiing like I do when driving; one needs to fully "be there." The only exception to that would be to listen to my portable music when I’m alone, but it’s mostly while I’m on the lifts that I can actually hear it. When family and friends join in, skiing is a wonderful sharing experience with very little pretense, lots of fun and laughter. The only negative about the sport is that it devours time in like an ogre and since time is all we’ve got, my favorite sport must be well worth it!