Pain Doesn't Hurt; Fear Hurts
"If you're not getting hurt, you're not trying anything new."
And doing something new and (to my mind) crazy is apparently what motivates Will, the 24-year-old extreme snowboarder I met on my ski vacation in Utah.
Will shows off his battle scars.The amazing thing to me is this kid has a pin in his wrist and a knee that's been under the knife, not to mention numerous other bumps and bangs, yet pain holds no fear for him compared to the joy of challenging himself on the slopes.
I gotta be honest, I'm just the opposite. At 48, I am cautious and really, really don't want to break any bones or tear any ligaments. Sometimes, I even get angry with myself out on the mountain for not being willing to take more risks.
But not Will. He says its no fun if you're not going all out.
"I can go down the mountain backwards if I want to. In fact, I've done it," he told me.
Would it be too much of a stretch to say perhaps we all should think about our lives that way? Go down the mountain backward sometimes--just to see if you can.
posted by Derek McGinty @ 8:46 PM
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4 Comments:
I'm all for trying new things. I'm all about exploring and discovering and keeping an open mind.
I just cannot detach myself from the risks or consequences, and that becomes even more apparent with age and the inevitable feeling of "mortality".
I bet Will didn't board down the slope backwards the first time out, I doubt he's that crazy or evolutionary selection would have already claimed him.
I do feel once he reached a certain level of confidence he challenged himself more and more to make the sport interesting and arrive at a certain amount of self respect (pride) in his accomplishments.
I think what he is saying, is we should push ourselves, be "all we can be" (without joining the army).
That's a good message...
But yeah it comes at a price sometimes (battle scars), and that's when you weigh risk vs reward.
Aside from that, I think Will just wants some more company on the slopes. I'm 53, and maybe if my younger Bro was around I'd join him. (He ski's national ski rescue part time).
Just being cautious...
Lord, Bless that child.....
he really gonna need it.....
(said in mother talk) :-)
Mz usa
dang @ deek you're 48? , look soooo good, but you're right, you may look good but you're too old to break anything now!
bev in cali
dang @ derek you're 48? , look soooo good, but you're right, you may look good but you're too old to break anything now!
bev in cali
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