Up On Top of the World

"Take it in but don't look down

Cause I'm on top of the world, 'ay

I'm on top of the world, 'ay

Waiting on this for a while now

Paying my dues to the dirt

I've been waiting to smile, 'ay

Been holding it in for a while, 'ay

Take you with me if I can

Been dreaming of this since a child

I'm on top of the world."

 - Lyrics to "I'm On Top of the World" by Imagine Dragons

A fear of heights runs in the family, but every now and then the pure  electric joy of a panoramic view supersedes any nervousness over footing on a mountain’s edge. The top of Parsenn’s Bowl  delivered this shot of adrenaline yesterday morning, when a friend and our four oldest children hit the top of Winter Park resort for a spectacular view of the Colorado Rockies. After burning our quads through 8 inches of powder the previous day in a cloudy snowy swirl, God served Saturday on a golden platter. Plentiful sun, no wind, and amazing soft snow, a sensory feast that bathed our nervous systems in a warm soup which precluded fear and inspired playful skiing and grateful hearts.

The kids pored over a tattered trail map and plotted our course as they rode up on the lift ahead of us, taking the bit of control in their teeth and carrying their confidence into their top – to – bottom runs, swooping in and out of trees on the edge of wide open runs and taking jumps over the freshly humped snow. We shouted for each other in the forest and collapsed into snowbanks, before finally dropping in fatigued stupor at the lunch table. On the last run of the day we picked up the youngest kiddos from their lessons and took a leisurely final run of the season – until my boys and their friend took a left into the terrain park for one last jump. My favorite memory of the weekend was the sight of my two boys shooting down the hill toward the first jump, almost in sync, then seeing William take off and get over two feet in the air while Daniel just glided smoothly over the edge. Their forward progress surpassed both me and Rob and their joy was contagious. Now washing and putting away for another year, but inspired by adventures to come.