Overcoming Obstacles

I fell in love with slalom waterskiing when I was 19. 😍

The speed. The power. The mastery of technique. 

I loved the thrill of letting the ski take me where it wanted me to go and learning the art of driving it. It was cat and mouse. The ski would travel and at times I wondered who was in control, but I didn’t mind. It was like a colt that needed to be tamed. I learned to go beyond my limits exceeding my line and turning on the outskirts of the possible range of the rope’s limits. I got guts. I took advantage of leaning out and keeping a straight body, “showing my belly to Jesus” as I cut back across the wake. 

 

I skied throughout my 20’s whenever I could although I never owned a boat. After I had my first child I was shocked that I couldn’t get up. Was I fat? Was it because I was obsessed with my ankle-to-wrist wetsuit even though it had drag? Why me? I was using the same waterski as in my mid-20’s and tried and tried to get up but I couldn’t fly. I often thought of buying a new slalom ski but never got around to it; instead I took up wakeboarding. Wakeboarding was awesome but I still missed waterskiing - that brought me into water-sports. The high times of the past seemed to linger as I saw my husband fly around the lake on his ski and wakeboard. Jealous, yes, I moved on. 

Wakeboarding had taken the place of my waterskiing summer fun, I comforted myself. I was done.
 

 

Then I saw it: a new ski appeared at a favorite boating spot! It had been 20+ years since I had tried. But with this ski, I decided to give it a try. Things weren’t pretty getting up - but once I did my resigned “I can’t” became “I can.” I was elated!!!! When I couldn’t waterski any longer I felt defeated or passé but I am back, a water-skier again!!!! 

 

Wow! This has changed my outlook. I am going to work harder to look beyond limits in life. Fight for solutions. Not give up. Overcoming obstacles is fabulous! Looking beyond limits is intimidating and can be discouraging. I know, as I felt that way for years. I should have fought harder to find a ski that would work. 

 

What is it that is holding you back from some accomplishment you’d like to live into? I might even encourage you to press into your limits as I should have years ago. Finally, it worked for me and it might just work for you, even if it takes years.