Aint No Mountain High Enough

Just this past weekend I visited two of my best friends Alex and Erin for a Girls Weekend. I jam-packed my big Swiss army suitcase full of my “outdoorsy” clothes because I was going to be roughen it in Denver and Breckenridge. My weekend trip was going to consist of skiing, line dancing, eating out, bar hoping and spending quality time with my best friends. A vacation I was in desperate need of.

When I landed Thursday night, Alex welcomed me with a QB-type sack hug from behind while I was waiting at baggage claim. I was officially on vacation. As we hauled my suitcase to her car and stepped outside to 56 degree weather, I became overjoyed. It felt like I had never left (even though 6 months had gone by since my last visit). Erin met us at Alex’s downtown Denver apartment with an excited smile and wide-open arms. When I embraced her arms, my heart felt peace. I was finally with my gals.

As we were freshening up before hitting the town, we drank our baby barefoot wines and rocked out to music like we were little girls in Middle School. While I was dancing and singing, I could feel myself smiling inside and out. There is something special about friendships that we often get to feel from time to time, and this was one of the those moments. With everything that I have been through over the past few months, I found myself in a moment with no worries, concerns or sadness; I was myself. Friends like Alex and Erin are rare. Whenever I am with them, I am reminded of home. Not only did we grow up in the same hometown, but I have shared many secrets, moments of weakness, and unforgettable times with them.

Saturday was a day that I will never forget. It was a beautiful day in Breckenridge- the perfect day for skiing. Today was the day I was going to ski for the first time in over six years. Butterflies started fluttering around inside my stomach as we pulled up to the ski resort. Alex and Erin are excellent skiers and frequently ski Breckenridge, so I was already below their level. My goal for the day was to not get injured, but I was prepared to face plant and fall up on the slopes.

Alex, Tara, Me

As we arrived to the top of my first slope, I timidly looked around and suddenly felt scared. Alex and Erin confidently went to the edge of the slope and turned to see if I was ready. Their encouragement and support for my first ski run was all I needed- I can do this. I managed to make it the entire day with only one minor fall, which entailed me just crossing my skis at the bottom of a ski hill causing me to lose balance and plummet forward. Spending the day up high in the mountains, I was away from the “real” world. Instead I was in a peaceful wonderland where it was just me and the slopes. As we rode the gondola back down to our car, all I could think about was how proud I was of myself. I had successfully accomplished my mission and had an unforgettable time with my best friends.

Top of a Black Diamond Slope in Breckenridge

Like mountain slopes, our lives are unpredictable. Some runs have moguls, jumps or hidden sheets of ice; other runs are a breeze. Life is full of surprises, and we never know what is coming up or waiting for us on the other side. The mystery and the drive is what keeps us going. Sometimes life will knock us down and place us in situations that shake us to our core. But when these times come, loved ones provide the strength we need. There is always going to be another mountain ahead and sometimes I am going to lose or want to give up, but when I do, I am not going to quit, I am going to keep on climbing.

No matter what life throws at me, I know my family and my friends will be there to help me up and keep me moving, because there ain’t no mountain high enough or a problem big enough to stop me.