The cold air fills my lungs as my body struggles to navigate the hill in front of me. I am skiing the top portion of the Dave Murray Downhill, a black diamond run and future race course for the 2010 Olympic games. Despite the steep pitch and sharp turns, I am not afraid. I am mesmerized by the cedars framing the edges, so loaded down with snow, they can barely stand up. The wind is swirling around me, engulfing me like a snow globe, so that all I hear is quiet.

I have found my breathing space. I feel a sense of calm, surprising, considering I am on a mountain that attracts over 2 million skiers a year. This is why I have come here. I am in search of calm. Getting outside and playing in the snow, or kayaking in the early morning, helps me connect with myself.

I’m discovering the further away I get from civilization - stores, houses, people, the happier I seem to be. In fact, you could almost describe it as a love-hate relationship. I am attached to my material possessions, but they can’t provide me with the satisfaction and peace I feel when I am sitting on the dock - motionless.

It’s ironic that I spend a lot of money, time and energy to get to the place of nothing. I do know I go there so I can reconnect with myself, my kids and my husband.

I would love to know where you find your calm, is it at the cottage or on a running trail, are you alone or with a group of people?

Here’s to finding some breathing space,

Cheers,

Julie

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 10th, 2008 at 11:40 am and is filed under Today's News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.