The Sky’s Falling, I’m Not Surprised. (part 5)

It has been a fun tale but this is the conclusion and it made the whole trip worth it for sure.


From that point on, absolutely everything fell perfectly into place. The bus dropped us off literally across the street from the ski resorts and the mountains themselves. The lift tickets and rentals were cheaper than we had expected and the weather conditions were ideal. Crystal blue skies washed in sunshine and 45 degrees. And the snowboarding… wow. As long as I live I do not think I will ever experience a better mountain. It was the most fun I have had in a very long time. The final chapter of my story will be spent attempting to translate exactly how I felt on these mountains and then I will lay this tale to rest. Memories should never be exhausted; they can lose their charm. It is well.

The snowboard dangled casually at my foot and my legs swayed listlessly to and fro as the ski lift swiftly carried our merry band over trees and brush, past drifts and slopes. Mitten clad hands lay carelessly in my lap and my covered head jostled faintly for the lack of taut neck muscles. The sky shone a crystal blue and my eyes, through the orange tint of my goggles, marveled within its purity. Our conversation glided back and forth like languid moonlight tides. My senses were elevated and I thought I experienced epiphany, revelation. In that moment the world became simple and I had everything all figured out. It all boiled down to a snowboard and a chill slope. That’s all I needed in life. Happiness leapt in my soul at ever drift cut. Joy welled up and burst forth in giddy laughter as my board skimmed the weightless, porcelain powder. Yes, life was about being young and my mind bathed in the invigorating simplicity. Until that is, the lift delivered me to the summit. Then I was provided an unhindered view of the Italian Alps. At that moment my careless demeanor felt like sacrilege and my listless laughter like ignorant irreverence. I felt mind and body fold, overwhelmed by what spread before me. Breathtaking majestic mountains whose very site silenced my flippant mouth and tamed my juvenile soul tumble across the panorama. Their serrated stone peaks split the same crystal blue sky as regal as kings; frosted pine forests spread like robes at their feet. All around me the picture was the same. Minutes passed and I only stood there lost in awe. Finally made aware of how small I was and that life was not so simple. I could not even begin to comprehend the scene before me, how then could I make sense of the universe? This beauty was beyond me such that I could not hope to understand. It was good not to understand and I prayed in that moment that I never would. This brilliant splendor became my portion for the day. Not the snowboarding. An odyssey was required to finally reach this pinnacle, but I promise it is one I would happily make one hundred times over.