When To Call It Quits?

     I have a circle of "geezer" skier friends that are either active on the slopes or retired from the ski scene.  The other day at a closing event for a church Nancy and I were married in, I chanced upon a couple who had terminated their skiing activity a few years ago.  The closing event for the church was emotional, moving and underlined that events occur that require us as individuals and as  institutions to move on.   These changes can come  both involuntarily and voluntarily.

    In my conversation with my friends, I learned that they certainly would like to be on the slopes, but they had jointly decided that the risk at their age was inappropriate.  As she said, a fall and a broken hip would be devastating to coping with the rest of her life.   His comment was more to the feeling of danger by crowds, boarders and out of control people on the slopes.  Out of this conversation, I was led to ponder the question.   "When to call it quits?"   Even though we may be dedicated, skillful and avid skiers, there may be a time to consider terminating skiing.  That does not necessarily mean we give up on an active life.   We can very well healthily pursue other activities, albeit more sedate in nature.  My friends have made that adaptation and now concentrate on their golf game!   That's not my cup of tea, but I am sure walking, spinning on my recumbent bike and other pursuits can be a substitute for me.  Not only that, we have and ping-pong table in the basement where my wife is sure to beat me at that game when she recovers from her broken wrist.

    So, in conclusion, there will be the day when skiing will abandoned.   I hope I will know when that day is and make a voluntary decision, rathe than having it pushed on my by an unexpected event on the slopes.  However, as I stepped out to the fresh air of a recent July morning, it is just great to be alive!