Skiing

The other day I watched Alpine skiers in a speed contest on television. The mountain runs were steep and the numerous curves designed so skiers really had to show off their skills to finish a run without mishap. In my opinion, it takes a lot of courage to commit oneself to sliding down a steep mountain with long narrow boards strapped to your feet and trust that your sense of balance and your judgment in timing is going to get you to the bottom of the mountain safely.

I marvel at the skiers ability to maintain their balance as they gain speed rounding each curve. They look as if they were flying without wings. It takes split second decisions to know when and how to balance a fraction more on one leg or the other and to control the skis while all the time looking ahead to the next curve. Their skiing is superb.

During the snowy winters of my childhood my brothers and sisters dabbled in skiing and ice skating. We skied the low rolling hills of Iowa outside of the town where we lived, I was never very good at it. My own memories of skiing consist of mostly climbing back up the hill to try again.