What was your last victory and what wins did you collect along the way? 

Challenging the status quo takes guts and fortitude. 

Are you ready to try something new? 

I got back on my downhill skis this year after not skiing for about a decade. 

It was humbling. 

I love to move mindfully. 

I thought I was in pretty good shape. 

After three runs, my thighs were on fire. 

Was it time for cocoa? 

Will this ever be fun? 

It doesn’t help that everyone in my family is a (much, much) better skier than I. 

They’re very kind, and encouraging. 

Someone has to be the last one down the hill, right? 

Talking to one of my sons, he said, Mom, it’s just TOS, or time on skis. 

Right. 

So, basically, there’s no way I’ll ever catch up. 

That’s ok. 

Who doesn’t love a generous serving of humble pie? 

Then, I started thinking about you, and my clients....

Dec/Jan 2023 newsletter by kathy smith

Do you have a favorite tree? Recently while listening to a sermon, our minister referred to a tree on the edge of a field. 

Has this ever happened to you? That someone will say something and a whole experience unravels in your mind?

That's what transpired a few weeks ago. I saw myself with my daughter on our trip of a lifetime in Bali. We sat on our balcony that overlooked an enormous tree. In the morning we watched hundreds of birds rise up to the outermost branches and fly off for the day. In the evening, the birds would return back into the protection of the branches for the night.

This is a tree that I return to, in my mind, often. It's now become a symbol for how important deep roots are, as well as branches that reach skyward. As we age, trees can become symbolic for us. We want to stand tall, and weather storms. We want to be a refuge for others and to stand tall, to support ourselves, and others. We expand our horizons. 

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