Are You Living It?

     I traveled 18 hours virtually nonstop, across three states and one time zone, and as quickly as it started, it was over.  It was another moment spent on the big, expansive mountain that I was calling ‘the office’ for the day.  My number was called and it was my time to shine.  I dropped in off the top and everything was happening according to plan, my skiing was good. 

     I could see my aggressive line awaiting me below.  It was a big double air, one drop followed by another, precise skiing was in short order.   As quickly as my mind could process my descent I was in the air off the first drop, hoping to stick the landing so I could catch the next drop as planned.  I landed on the mark with no time to spare.  Unfortunately, so many other competitors before me had picked the same line, that a small ramp of snow was formed on top of the next drop.  “Hm………, that didn’t feel right”?

     Before I knew it, I was in the back seat, inverted with my skis over my head.  It was as if the sky and the snow blanketed ground had swapped places.  I came crashing down into the peppered snow and rock. Thankfully uninjured, I quickly got back to my feet, sadly my event was over.

         My long drive from California to Colorado culminated in one spectacular crash.  Over the next two days I had time to reflect on my skiing and my chosen career.  It’s not the possibility of money or fame that drives me, its the time with friends and the new friends I’ve made along the way. It’s more about the journey, and less about the outcome.  It’s about watching the sun rise over the mountains, rolling into a new town, dropping into an unskied line. 

      In the last three weeks I’ve traveled two continents, three countries, five states and seemingly endless miles; crashes or not, how lucky am I? 

I cant wait to drop in and do it all over again!!! 

by: Forrest Coots