Really I would never want to be 16 again. Don't get me wrong it was a nice year, not a lot of grown up responsibilities and my biggest worry was homework (or really how I was going to wear my hair to a dance). But geese I'm only 31 and my body just isn't what it used to be.
Mr. Big Dog and I went skiing yesterday. I actually snowboard and he skis. And let me first preference this whole post with the fact that in the past 10 years, after being raised with Lake Tahoe skiing in my backyard, I had really only going snowboarding a handful of times. So yesterday was the first real time of the season, or really in the past decade it was one of these small handful of times.
I forgot how much I love it, I forgot how fun it can be, but more importantly I forgot how athletic and conditioned you have to be to go ALL DAY.
I felt old and rickety, and by 11:30 needed a break with the hubs at the lodge. I even got a little down and depressed after lunch about how I "used" to be good at what now seemed like an accident waiting to happen as I fearfully tried to inch down the hills. I "used" to be fearless and not afraid to get hurt with a fall, and now my thighs and calves were burning worst then they ever did on a 70 mile bike ride. Burning like they might just ripe off and I would bleed to death from a detached muscle (which by the way could never happen).
It's sad but very true that what you don't use, you will surely loose. So I had my little pity party and Mr. Big Dog cheered my grumpiness out of me about how great I thought I used to be;) And we rode almost all day at the mountain.
Now to look back at my 16 year old legs and how I would ride all day and then tackle night skiing, and then go back the next day for more.
Today my legs are sore and as I sit here thinking about it all, I can't wait to get back up there. I know I'll never be 16 again, but I like this different place I'm at at 31. I like hanging with my husband drinking hot chocolate when we get tired, and watching the little tiny kids learning with their tow rope lifts. I like being able to still do something I have done since I was 13, maybe not as well but I am still getting out there. And I like how God puts you in a place of loving what you have when you have it, and doesn't let everything be easy. Can you imagine if I was able to just jump off a sofa and ski like I was 16 again without any effort? I think you would take more for granted.
Which today I love my sore legs more than ever, I might even go for a winter run:)
These memories you are making now are just so much more appreciated than when you were 16. Take that from someone who knows. I too love where I am in life now, even though I'm 79 in body but still young at heart.
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