Karlee the Skier for Life

Karlee's pure, unadulterated joy

My daughter is a skier. She lives to ski. In fact, she lives to do anything and everything that requires being outside and active. This has always been her way. In the summer, she hikes and swims, bikes and finds great places to explore in our local mountains, here in Logan.

In the winter, though, there is Beaver Mountain. It calls her name, and she is gone. On days when she hears the powder calling, she is grinning from ear to ear, helmet on, clad in her black-on-white snow gear and she's off. When she gets back, she's breathless with excitement, and I am thrilled as I get the play-by-play of the day's runs. She's good, and she mostly has great days.

I see you

Reflections

The other day, though, we had a little scare - she called me from the road. She had taken a spill, bloodied her nose and conked her head and arm. These are the days when as a mother I wish I could save her the pain of it all. I can't fix the huge bruise on her arm, nor the swelling in her nose. It will just have to heal.

She already went back to the mountain again, though. The call of the powder, the rush of the run, the sheer joy of flying down those steep hills on your own two feet is more exciting and beats the fear of falling. What a lesson!

Back up the mountain

Little did I know 20 years ago that I would have a child that had the "heart to go on", no matter the obstacle. I should have known. She was so eager to come into this world that she couldn't wait to get here, and showed up early. She's been early for everything ever since. She has a positivity in her that rivals the sun. I'm so proud of her! I will not be able to keep my fingers off the keyboard about her. Does that mean I am her mother?