Standing at 9,000 feet has become a normal thing for me.
But today this doesnt happen.
This is my first day back on a mountain since my accident.
Loosen up my neck, check and double check my helmet is tight enough.
Tug on my goggles and run though my basics: name, age, location.
I can’t afford another brain injury.
The wind whispers words of encouragement and I push off.
Life is like the mountain.
(I have to ski THAT?)
My mindset has changed and I start to believe I can do it.
I could tell you about my fears, the thoughts pulsing through my head.
What if I mess my brain up more?
Or fall so hard I piss?
(Which is a genuine fear, I’m not wearing shorts under my pants.)
Shifting your focus is difficult.
As panic starts to set in I remember why I love this sport.
Why I chose to doit again, and in Montana of all places.
I no longer see myself being thrown down the mountain, being hit and left to fend for myself.
But what matters is going for it and getting past that fear.
Chasing your passions is what we all strive to do.
I love skiing, its what makes me who I am.
Do anything but quit.
