Within two hours of my home, we have a cabin in a ski town up in the mountains. Every weekend, we drive up to the resort to ski. This year, I’m on the Junior Ski Patrol and it has been an experience so much different and better than I could have imagined.
The ski patrol is like a family- there’s the blue jackets, or grandparents who look out for everyone; the redcoats which encapsulates moms, dads, aunt, uncles, etc. The Juniors are my brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Finally, the candidates are the little siblings, the babies of the hierarchy. It’s a shock to me, seeing as my family is fairly small, and man, do I love it! Whether or not I like every person, they have something to add to my personality, to my self. Joseph is an “experienced” patroller and has taken it upon himself to look out for us tender little candidates. He may not know it, but every second he takes out of his day to check on us, to greet us, or to help, is a blessing. Ron Gables is a lethargic ski bum, and his stories of travels, college, adventures, and things we may never experience can enthrall us for ages. Every person to take an interest in the candidates is a saint in our eyes.
But the most precious gifts of the system are the Juniors. Never in my life have I been surrounded by a group of people that I so thoroughly liked. Every single person has become a close friend who looks out for me too. The girls are compassionate, and teach us survival skills for the program. The boys are completely opposite, and yet, even better. They are eager, excited young men who let us learn things the hard – or fun – way. One girl may see relationship options - I just see family. What a wonderful thing- to go from my small family of four, to a support system of hundreds.
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