Fulfill Your Potential

I have never presumed myself to know much about anything.  I don’t pretend with myself.  I don’t pretend with my children.  All the greatest mysteries in life are to be discovered on an individual basis. 

But I do try and bring home one message.  We were all put on this earth to fulfill our potential.  Everyone’s path is their own.  But you need to work diligently throughout the course of your entire life to find and navigate that path.  At the end of the path lies your special talent, your fundamental purpose and your sense of fulfillment.

Like most parents, I know there is only so much that we can teach our children.  But I have to say that this last weekend has been pretty special.  I spent eight solid years on the bunny hill snow plowing on my Telemark skis.  Even finding my way to the blue runs didn’t help much.  For eight years, I have had one kid on a harness while skiing.

This year is the first year I’ve been able to take telemark turns despite the fact that I’ve owned Telemark Skis and equipment for eight years.

My Son Echo is fairly cautious.  He does not take chances. As a father pushing potential, this bothers me.  But I’ve always tried to be patient.  This weekend, Echo made up a poem which blew me away.  It was so different than anything he’s ever said or thought before.  That tells me that he listens to the things I try to teach.  In his own words, here is a poem from my son which I could not be more proud of:

Try, try, try until you are at your best.  And when you’re at your best, try some more until you’re at the best you can ever be, and when you’re at the best you can ever be, try even more.  Never give up! [Download Listen_to_Echo.wav (2335.6K)]