Introduction: Remember the Pine Tree
My parents taught me to love the outdoors. I remember how the wind felt on my face. From an early age I learned to fly-fish, hike and ski all the while appreciating nature and simply being outdoors. Until this day I recall the smells of spring and feeling of the winter coming as I hike the trails and ski the mountains. But there is more. In addition to the love of nature, I remember learning a lot about life. I grew up in western mountains of Maine and my parents were skiers. My older sister was also a skier and we enjoyed the sport together as a family. Luckily, our parents helped start a small local ski area where my sister and I learned to ski at a very early age. In the beginning we didn’t use the rope tow or poma lift (an early form of uphill transportation) to get up the hill. We were taught to “side step”. The one lesson I remember to this day is to set a goal and never give up. We did not call it perseverance or even know what perseverance meant for that matter. The goal was to get to sidestep up to “The Pine Tree” which was a third of the way up the hill and ski down to the lodge at the bottom of the hill. As a four-year-old it seemed almost impossible. The pine tree looked so far away. I did not make it the first few attempts. I do not remember how many times it took or how many times I fell down. Since I did not know how to stop I just fell before slamming into the lodge at the bottom. I do remember my parents urging me on to “keep on trying” “Don’t give up” “you will get there soon”. Well as it turns I did make it to “The Pine Tree” by the end of the ski season. To this day my sister and I use the phrase “Remember the Pine Tree” whenever we are faced with a challenge that seems insurmountable. The “concept” of perseverance was set in our minds through the experience. We did not use the word perseverance but we emotionally understood the experience. We later connected the concept of never giving up and perseverance to real life experiences.
As parents we have an ideal opportunity to uses these life experiences to teach what we call life skills to our children. We do not have to hope that some coach will impart these lessons—we are empowered to teach.
What are Life Sports?
Activities such as hiking, walking, biking, kayaking, golf, skiing, bowling, yoga, fly-fishing are examples of sports that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. Life sports can be enjoyed as an individual or with a group. Life long sports can provide us with the opportunity to be alone with nature just to think and reflect or with friends, colleagues, and family. Life sports do not require an organized team, umpire or league in order to participate. Life long sports provide families with time together. This type of time is different than standing on the sidelines cheering. Life long sports can provide our children with a powerful friend through the school years and later in the workplace. Life sports are for a lifetime. Skiing and hiking have provided me with an opportunity to heal after suffering an illness. During my life when I was lost, emotionally, economically, or spiritually I would always return to skiing and find my center. If we can get our children to enjoy an activity such as skiing or hiking at an early age they will have a friend for life. Something that they can take where ever they go in life. When their college roommates want to take a ski or hiking trip they will be able to participate and be a member of the group. Later, they can pass the love of skiing or hiking on to their children.
My parents taught me to love the outdoors. I remember how the wind felt on my face. From an early age I learned to fly-fish, hike and ski all the while appreciating nature and simply being outdoors. Until this day I recall the smells of spring and feeling of the winter coming as I hike the trails and ski the mountains. But there is more. In addition to the love of nature, I remember learning a lot about life. I grew up in western mountains of Maine and my parents were skiers. My older sister was also a skier and we enjoyed the sport together as a family. Luckily, our parents helped start a small local ski area where my sister and I learned to ski at a very early age. In the beginning we didn’t use the rope tow or poma lift (an early form of uphill transportation) to get up the hill. We were taught to “side step”. The one lesson I remember to this day is to set a goal and never give up. We did not call it perseverance or even know what perseverance meant for that matter. The goal was to get to sidestep up to “The Pine Tree” which was a third of the way up the hill and ski down to the lodge at the bottom of the hill. As a four-year-old it seemed almost impossible. The pine tree looked so far away. I did not make it the first few attempts. I do not remember how many times it took or how many times I fell down. Since I did not know how to stop I just fell before slamming into the lodge at the bottom. I do remember my parents urging me on to “keep on trying” “Don’t give up” “you will get there soon”. Well as it turns I did make it to “The Pine Tree” by the end of the ski season. To this day my sister and I use the phrase “Remember the Pine Tree” whenever we are faced with a challenge that seems insurmountable. The “concept” of perseverance was set in our minds through the experience. We did not use the word perseverance but we emotionally understood the experience. We later connected the concept of never giving up and perseverance to real life experiences.
As parents we have an ideal opportunity to uses these life experiences to teach what we call life skills to our children. We do not have to hope that some coach will impart these lessons—we are empowered to teach.
What are Life Sports?
Activities such as hiking, walking, biking, kayaking, golf, skiing, bowling, yoga, fly-fishing are examples of sports that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. Life sports can be enjoyed as an individual or with a group. Life long sports can provide us with the opportunity to be alone with nature just to think and reflect or with friends, colleagues, and family. Life sports do not require an organized team, umpire or league in order to participate. Life long sports provide families with time together. This type of time is different than standing on the sidelines cheering. Life long sports can provide our children with a powerful friend through the school years and later in the workplace. Life sports are for a lifetime. Skiing and hiking have provided me with an opportunity to heal after suffering an illness. During my life when I was lost, emotionally, economically, or spiritually I would always return to skiing and find my center. If we can get our children to enjoy an activity such as skiing or hiking at an early age they will have a friend for life. Something that they can take where ever they go in life. When their college roommates want to take a ski or hiking trip they will be able to participate and be a member of the group. Later, they can pass the love of skiing or hiking on to their children.