You’ve probably read a lot about the tragic death of Natasha Richardson lately. She fell during ski lessons in Quebec, Canada and suffered from an epidural haematoma.

It’s a freakish occurrence that reminds us that the alpine sports we love so much carry with them an element of danger. It’s this danger that perhaps brings many of us back to the mountain again and again. For some it’s purely the adrenaline rush they crave so much and yet for others the draw is a deep emotional and spiritual connection with the activity (and of course, it’s also both of those things together). For the latter, the act of skillfully flirting with danger and then making it through gives immense satisfaction and a connection to life that’s unparalleled.

It’s that paradoxical feeling of excitement and peace all at the same time, when you stand before a steep, scary section and that calm voice of confidence says: “you’ve prepared for this moment and believe that you’ve minimized the probability of peril through a lifetime of preparation and laser focus in this moment. Now go charge this thing.”

It’s you who understands that all of life carries with it certain risks and that there is nothing worse than living in a cocoon, safe from all harm. You’d rather push the envelope, learn, grow, and live fully with zest and stoke than hesitate and bail.

There’s no question that we live our lives with higher than average danger, but if we use our intuition and knowledge, take sensible precautions like wearing beacons, helmets, and backprotectors, well then our chances of dying are about as high as the potential heart attack victim wasting away in front of the TV.

Only difference is, we’ve really lived.

Adios,
Stephan

- fellow shredder