I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on my first experience with Ski for Light the past few days. Perhaps too much. It was such an incredible experience; I find it hard to put to words.
I know when I arrived I was terrified. I knew that I loved to ski, and
I've always enjoyed passing on this passion to anyone willing to give it a try. But this was so very different, I didn't know if I was capable.
Those fears were put to rest by the end of the evening guide trainers meeting. It was helpful talking with other "Rookies" who shared the same fears that I had; hearing from the more experienced guides on what to expect and how to approach different situations; and, most importantly, hearing from visually impaired skiers and having them relay their experiences and thoughts to me.
I remember approaching the first hill with my skier. It was only about 10 feet in length and dropped maybe four feet over that span. I was terrified and stopped at the top, unsure how to proceed, or if I could at all. She talked me through, and together we descended. We never looked back. As the week proceeded, (much to quickly) I began to relax and truly take in the spirit of Ski for Light. It is a spirit that I hope to carry with me through the year and onto Green Bay.
What I was totally unprepared for was the overwhelming feeling of emotions that came with this program. I have never felt so alive before; so important, yet so small. I went to Anchorage to ski, to do something for someone other than myself. I came away with so much more.
It was truly a life changing experience.