Sparks in the Snow

Several years ago I went on a ski trip to Mount Snow in West Dover, Vermont. One of their lifts is a two-seater, and since there were three people in my group, one of us had to be a single rider. Now as an introvert I try to avoid being the single because more times than not, you are seated with another single you don’t know. Of course it was on one such ride when the lift stopped, leaving me trapped in midair literally inches away from a stranger who would probably want to talk. My discomfort quickly dissipated as I realized the gentleman next to me was an introvert too and didn't make any effort to communicate. But after 10 minutes or so the silence became more awkward than small talk, and one of us broke the ice. We exchanged the cordial “are you enjoying the mountain” and “where are you from” inquiries. It turns out he was from West Dover, and we could practically see his home from our pretty good vantage point.

He was kind and witty and soon I was enjoying the conversation. What is it like to be able to ski whenever you want? How does the mountain tourism affect your daily life, for better or worse? He answered my questions politely but tentatively, explaining that he owned a restaurant and enjoyed serving the out-of-town visitors. I asked if he had children and if they liked to ski. My uncharacteristically enthusiastic question seemed to make him uncomfortable, but after realizing we might be up there a while, he shared, “actually, my daughter is Kelly Clark.” Kelly Clark. The most dominant female snowboarder in history. Five-time Olympian and three-time Olympic medalist Kelly Clark. She grew up above the restaurant (TC’s) and started snowboarding around the time she started kindergarten. Kelly’s dad, as he became known in town, was modest and private, but obviously proud. Our lift delay was not long enough.

How unbelievably serendipitous, I remember thinking, that a snowboard prodigy would be born close enough to the slopes to see them from her bedroom! I paid close attention to the 2018 Winter Olympics, given my new personal connection to one of our halfpipe hopefuls, and noticed that, remarkably, almost our entire winter Olympic team was from Vermont, Colorado, and California. What are the odds that all of those talented skiers and snowboarders would be born in the snow?

The odds, of course, are exactly the same for a potential snowboard champion to be born in Dover, Delaware; Dover, Florida; or West Dover, Vermont. So why did the Kelly from Vermont become a gold medalist and the Kellies from Delaware and Florida never set foot in a snowboard boot? Awareness. Introduction. Exposure. Opportunity. Every child is born with latent talents and potential passions that can only be awakened by favorable circumstances. Yes Kelly was fortunate to be born in the mountains, but lots of kids are. Her family introduced her to the sport and, once her passion was evident, facilitated and supported her training and progression.

Kelly’s story is an extreme example, but it shows the importance of introducing your child to as many activities, experiences, hobbies, places, and people as you can. Kids can only develop passions for what they know about and try. Talents only emerge when given the opportunity and favorable circumstances.

Chapter 7 of Catcher of the Light contains suggestions for fanning the flames of your child’s inner light through the introduction of new opportunities and experiences. That chapter also features a quote from Mexican-born author Adi Alsaid. “What if she was supposed to be a painter,” he wonders, “but no one ever gave her a brush?”

Give your daughter a brush. Or a snowboard. Take your son to a history museum or a candy-making demonstration. Share your own hobbies and interests with your child. Provide those favorable circumstances for passions and talents to emerge. Kelly Clark was indeed lucky to be born in Vermont, but luck is really just potential meeting opportunity. Children are born with potential. They are relying on you to provide the opportunities to realize it.