A Treat for the Season

I love water skiing, even though I quickly became scared of it when I was little. After a little encouragement and an alternative method for trying came about and worked, I got up.

My Mom is a terrific skier, even after two years of not getting behind a boat, and even though she’s not 20 anymore she can still get up within a few tries and drop a ski within 10 seconds like its no big deal. Every time she’s up she’s grinning ear to ear, I honestly love watching her ski, because the joy is so contagious. My Dad is also good, I will also add! I think seeing the two of them enjoy the experience as a whole was part of what made me want to try it.

Growing up I got to try when I was about 7 at camp. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite know what to do when, and accidentally got dragged in the water just a little, and therefore got scarred. Thankfully I didn’t get hurt, and it really wasn’t anyone’s fault just my own misunderstanding. I remember for about 5 to 10 years being genuinely scared of skiing. Finally, my Mom found a way for me to learn that didn’t even give me a chance to make the same mistake I made before. A friend of my folk’s at camp has a fancy ski boat with what’s called a “boom” attachment. It’s sort of a stick off the side of the boat, that I just hung onto.

Well, I got on the side of the boat, yelled “hit it” and I was finally up! I loved every minute and knew I would want to do it for the rest of my life just like my folks.

Now I can relatively easily get up on the first try with two skis. I’ll go around a lake, and just enjoy the ride.

Even since figuring out how to get up behind a boat, there have been other learning curves for me. For instance, I learned when I was super short, and still slightly daunted by skiing even though I had fun, so it took me a long time to ski outside the wake, but now I do it regularly.

Perhaps the biggest learning curve of all has been trying to slalom, or rather drop a ski, mid-ride as I haven’t quite gotten the hang of it. Though I have faith that I’ll be able to find a way one of these days.

Just today my Grandpa taught my Dad how to drive his boat at their cabin and I’ve so thankful they were willing to take me skiing. Today I got up on the first try went around the lake going in and out of the wake, my whole family watching from the boat. I decided that when we went past the cabin I would try to drop again, and I let the right ski go on the first but quickly went down, they picked me up took me on a short loop again and I tried the to drop the left ski to no avail. Hopefully, I’ll get even more coaching and find my own footing in time. But I am still so thankful for every chance to get on top of the water.

Since my sister finally got over a similar fear of skiing shortly after I did, my whole immediate family skis and I think that’s really cool.

Skiing anyone?

Hopefully, we’ll buy my Grandpa’s boat in a few weeks here, but we’ll see 🙂