This article is a summary of the period from February 19, 2023, to March 4, 2023.
Scene#
Sometimes I am immersed in the embrace of the mountains, sometimes I lean towards the valleys, in the howling wind, between the front and back mountains, I rise and fall freely.
This scene took place during practice at the Taiwu Ski Resort. Suddenly, I began to understand the rhythm of changing edges proficiently. At that moment, as I watched the mountains in the distance approaching me one after another, I suddenly experienced what it means to be "at the top of the mountain." I fell in love with the freedom and ease of skiing down the mountains (which further strengthened my belief in making alpine skiing my advanced skiing goal).
In addition, one thing I particularly want to mention is that this feeling of freedom does not require high speed or the secretion of a lot of adrenaline. It is more about a sense of coordination and control. Honestly, when I first fell in love with skiing, it was all about the thrill of going downhill. I only loved speed. But I don't want to only experience the joy of speed. This kind of joy is too short-lived and can never be satisfied. I want to appreciate a more layered joy. And now, I can experience the joy of rhythm, and I am happy to see my growth in this aspect.
p.s. When I initially decided to write this chapter, I had a strong desire to express myself. But recently, I have been feeling a bit inadequate and increasingly feel like I am losing my ability to express myself, or perhaps my perceptiveness is becoming dull. In any case, I have decided to skip this section for this week and, starting next week, I will not only write but also include some excerpts of my favorite descriptions.
Life#
Wandering Around#
In the past two weeks, I roughly traveled from Chongli (the ski season there has ended) to Shanghai, then to Lijiang, and finally back to Dali. My life has been described by friends as wandering around, and I quite like this description.
I cannot answer why I keep relocating. Ultimately, it is the soul's desire for freedom. There is no specific purpose, but as I like to say, "Dinosaurs thought they had time too." The increasing uncertainty around me makes me believe more in "not postponing what I want to do today until tomorrow." I keep practicing facing the unknown without being fully prepared.
Since last week, especially after arriving in Yunnan, I feel that spring has truly arrived. Everywhere on the road, there are flowers that are red like fire, pink like dawn, and white like snow. The trees have also sprouted tender buds. A friend asked me what has changed in Dali compared to my last visit. I blurted out, "It has become more elegant. Last time, the grass in the village was still yellow, not desolate, but very open and vast, giving a feeling of being enveloped in golden warmth. This time, the trees by the lake have become lush, covering the grass, adorned with flowers. Overall, it feels more elegant."
Shanghai, Shanghai#
This time in Shanghai, my friend and I chose a restaurant on Wuzhong Road for dinner. Then, in the evening, a sister saw my update on a TG Channel and told me that she was also on Wuzhong Road tonight. Through our conversation, I found out that she happened to be in Shanghai for a business trip and had dinner with a friend before thinking of going to Wuzhong Road.
I think this is amazing. We don't usually keep in touch much, and occasionally when we visit each other's cities, we would meet up for a meal. But there was also a time when we spontaneously decided to go out together. On the streets of Wangjing, I sat on the back of her motorcycle, and we wandered around. It feels like there is a mysterious signal between us, and I am grateful for this kind of friendship, especially the friendship between women.
Constantly Getting Injured#
It has been almost a month (since February 12) since I injured my ribs, and even now, it still hurts when I swim or turn over in bed. It has improved a lot compared to when I first got injured, but the level of pain has hardly decreased in the past week.
Old injuries have not healed, and new injuries have been added. After arriving in Dali last week, I borrowed a land paddleboard from a friend to play with, but unexpectedly, I sprained my ankle in the first minute. What awaited me was swelling, pain, and bruising... It seems that complete recovery is still far away.
Fortunately, the pain in my buttocks and knees from falling while skiing before has mostly healed.
The frequent injuries recently have made me reflect - I can't continue like this, not afraid of getting injured. I don't know when I realized that I am not as sensitive to pain as others. The advantage of this is that I have more courage and can engage in various sports without hesitation. However, the downside is that regardless of whether I fear pain or not, the harm to my body from injuries remains the same, or even worse because without enough pain to alert me, I am more likely to get injured or get more severe injuries. When I was younger, a fall or sprain was not a big deal, and my body had a strong recovery ability. But now, I realize that I am not as resilient to falls as before.
Still in School?#
Recently, while traveling around, I am often asked, "Are you still in school?" It seems to be a polite phrase when people don't know what to say. I don't know the specific reason, but I really don't like being asked this way. But now, upon further thought, one reason might be that it feels hypocritical. We are all Asians, and it shouldn't be that difficult to determine someone's age. On the other hand, perhaps the underlying logic behind this question is "you would be happy if I make you sound younger." But why should we take pride in appearing younger? Especially as a woman, I may be more sensitive to this - is this praise a result of the "young" aspect of the "white, young, and thin" aesthetic culture?
Of course, being young is good. I often admire the vitality of young life without hiding it. But the essence lies in vitality, not age.
Input and Output#
During the break from skiing two weeks ago, I took the time to read part of "The Complete Guide to Snowboarding" with the hope of finishing the book before the next ski season. One of the reflections from my recent frequent injuries is that I plan to read more books on sports rehabilitation in the future.