Postcard 040 - Home Away From Home
I'm up in Whistler, British Columbia — perhaps my favorite place in the world — by myself for the first time.
Whistler is a place that means a lot to my family. We've celebrated almost every Christmas since 2001 here, not to mention a lot of spring breaks, random weekends, and even summers when my friend became a professional mountain biker in junior high. Whistler is a place that is truly covered in memories.
I was planning to come up here with friends, but, given work schedules, ended up here alone. It made me realize it was the only time I've ever been up here alone, not to mention the only time I've ever gone on a snowboarding trip by myself.
At the holidays, my family has a protocol for Whistler — we always ride Christmas day, we'll eat at two of our favorite restaurants, we play a lot of cards, and we walk a lot. Alone, most of those things look really different (and I'm honestly not a big fan of solitaire). That said, walking is something I love, no matter if anyone else is around.
I wasn't feeling 100% on the board today, so I got off the mountain early and decided to grab my camera and stroll around the village before sunset. I found myself wandering to the same area where a friend and I took our cameras almost 10 years ago on one of those spring break trips.
Everywhere I walked, I found myself smiling, whether I was seeing families stroll around, catching the last bit of color in the sky, or stopping at a snow covered skate park that I've spent many many hours at.
All I could do was feel grateful, not just for being here today, but for all the steps I've walked around this city and the adventures that I've been fortunate enough to have.