The weekend before Christmas, Tim and I went up to Whistler to spend a day with my brother-in-law and his girlfriend. Our plan was to go snowtubing on the first day of the snowtube season. For those of you unfamiliar with snowtubing, it’s essentially sliding down a 1000 foot long slide made out of snow in a giant rubber tire (the tube). I had never done it before, but it seemed less physically harrowing than snowboarding, which had been our other option.
As I stood at the top of the hill and looked down the various lanes of snow in front of me, I knew this was going to be fast ride. It had rained just the day before so we were going to be sliding on ice. I clumsily climbed into the tube as the assistant held it in place. On the count of three, she let go and I was on my way!
The initial five seconds were terrifying. I had started off facing down the hill but all too quicly, I’d hit a bump and I was now spinning out of control. I was actually hurtling down the slope backwards!
Strangely, it was then that I remembered some wise words I’d heard just the day before from the “Man vs. Wild” TV show (truth appears in many unexpected places, you know): “The secret to survival is not to fight nature, but to work with it.”
Something in me clicked. It was no use fighting the tube. I couldn’t control it anyway so I was better off just letting go and allowing it to turn and spin and bounce however it wanted to. I resolved to let the ride be what it was.
Two hours later, we left the park. And I could only say it was SO. MUCH. FUN!
For me, this experience is not just about snowtubing. As I learn and figure out more of who God has really made me to be and the life He has in store for me, I must resist the urge to control, fight or deny the twists and bumpy parts. And I suspect that when I can finally embrace whatever comes my way, I will possess the ability to be thankful for every moment of the ride.