Cross country skiing

We went to Michigan and went on a skiing trip. Arjun and Meera decided to ski and Swati, Apurva, and I decided to cross country instead. 

We watched people riding up the ski lifts and then coming down on the slopes with grace and speed. I did not desire that. I did not desire to ride up and come down with a rush of adrenaline. I did not desire to soar a new height. I did not desire speed and the wind gushing towards me. 
What I desired was a calm walk through the snow covered roads. A peaceful introspection. I wanted to cross country ski and take in the sights. Walk the terrain, feel the bumps, climb the unexpected hills and let go on the way down. Fall and then get right up. Each time I got stuck in the snow and drifted back with my skis I would tell myself, you can do it, stay focused and don't panic and I would move on. When we finished the basic green trail and decided to do the level 2 blue trail there were lot more slopes and the terrain was not as well marked which meant we had to figure it out ourselves. Little slopes would suddenly show up and before you knew you were bending your knees and heading down with speed you did not desire and all I kept telling myself is, you are not afraid, you are not going to fall. 
It was truly wonderful to stand there in the middle of nowhere with snow all around you and flurries falling gently on you. It was magical. Just 3 of us in this vast expanse of space.

On the second day the terrain got more icy and the same trail became a little more arduous. I fell so many times because the snow made the skis slip and pushed me back on the slope and invariably fall.

This experience felt like life where there is so much beauty and so many slopes hidden at each corner, waiting for you to fail, waiting for you to pick up and move on again. Waiting for you to give up and then seducing you with more Beauty and flat easy surfaces just to find a big slope at the end of it...