I went to Utah last week to ski. In the process, I relived memories of skiing a few days prior to the start of the 2002 Winter Olympics hosted by Salt Lake City. It was a scary time back then, just six short months after the infamous 9/11/01 terror attack. Both our arrival and departure from the airport was greeted by gun carrying soldiers. Military jets flew so low over the mountains it felt like I could reach up and touch them while skiing.
It was also an exhilarating time. The ski resorts were close to empty but poised for the influx of thousands of competitors, spectators and hardy souls who were just trying to get in some recreational skiing. We couldn't believe our good fortune in having the slopes practically to ourselves and took full advantage of it. With the imminent arrival of the Olympics, we could feel the electricity in the air and somehow that made us ski better than we had before. As the Olympics began taking over we regretted that we would be leaving for home, only to watch the games from the comfort of our own living rooms.
So there I was again. Standing on those same ski slopes while another Olympic Games was taking place. Sure, they were in a completely different country this time, but I could still feel the excitement of the games. We rushed back to our condo every night and watch the televised events. And each subsequent day, I skied a little better, a little braver, a little more on the edge. By the end of the week I was in the zone and had turned in my personal best.
That's the thing about being challenged to rise above ourselves or the moment or the situation. We step outside our comfort zone; we reach a little higher; we set aside our fear; we go beyond our every day selves. And in the process, we prove to ourselves that we are worthy of our own personal gold.
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