Never Give Up—Just Keep Trying!
by Ariana
Ariana,
Grandpa and I took you cross country skiing for the first time! We rented you skis from Mountain Recreation. We drove to Truckee and headed up Cold Stream Canyon. At first, you had to adjust to using the skis. It was difficult to stay upright! You kept falling over and over again. Sometimes, you became so frustrated and even cried a little. However, at some point you were able to balance more and go a little further distance without falling. I am not sure when it happened, but you stopped falling. In fact, not only were you upright, you were flying past me. You loved going downhill! The faster, the more fun skiing became for you. You even encouraged me to try and go downhill. You thought it was so funny when grandpa was going too fast and he tried to stop and plowed into me. I flew up into the air and landed flat on my back. Boy was I mad! My legs were tangled with grandpa and my sunglasses flew into the snow. Yet, I survived and like you, I got back up and pressed on. However, I was a little more cautious and took my skis off and walked down the hills.
Not you! You flew by me like the wind, with such grace. Your adventurous spirit found its courage and at the end of the day, when we neared the end of the path, you exclaimed, “I love skiing! That was so much fun!”
What a joy to watch you glide through the snow with such confidence! Thank you for your willingness to take risks and venturing out into the snow covered hills of the Sierras.
Love,
Grandma Annie
What it Means
Ariana, your courage is so evident when facing new tasks. Your willingness to try new things, even when faced with difficulty is a wonderful learning disposition to have. You demonstrated not only being ready to learn how to cross country ski but also, your willingness and ability to master this challenging task is such an important skill to have in life. It was a joy to watch you not only learn to balance on the skis, but to take risks and ski downhill. It seemed like the faster you went, the more you enjoyed skiing. You remind me of a John Muir quote, “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” I hope your new found love for cross country skiing will take you into the snow covered hills of our beloved Sierra Nevada Mountain wilderness and beyond.
Opportunities and Possibilities
Ariana- not only will we continue to cross country ski together, but grandpa and I will try and take you snowshoeing. And even perhaps, you can try downhill skiing. However, as you know, I am not particularly fond of going downhill. So, instead, I will ask Jason and Tachie to take you downhill skiing with them. Or maybe you could go snowboarding with Grandma Scarlett and Harding. No matter what method of encountering snow, I hope that you continue to take risks and find adventure around every corner and bend in the road.
Ariana’s Response
It was super fun. Near the end, I took a break and the snow was super deep. In the beginning, I fell over and could not get back up. My grandpa helped me up, but I fell over again. So no matter what, just keep trying!
Dad’s Response
Ariana,
Reading about your tenacity to try new things and embrace new adventures, with nothing but courage and a smile, does not come as a surprise to me. You are fierce and motivated to try new things all the time, whether it is sports, hobbies or passions, you always put yourself forward and fearlessly dive in. To say I am so proud of you would be an understatement, when in fact, I am so much more. I am Impressed, amazed, baffled - and heck, even sometimes a little shocked by how determined you can be! You never cease to put your mind to new tasks and challenges and blow them out of the water. Keep it up! I’m excited to see what you conquer next!
Love,
Dad
4/15/21- Learning Stories Facilitator Inquiry Group meeting- Ariana presents her Learning Story to the group.
LS Inquiry group discussion and question: What makes you persist and so determined to try difficult tasks and not give up?
Ariana’s response:
“I want to try as many new things as I can. I don’t want to someday die and not have the opportunity to experience all that I can do. I don’t want to have regrets. If I do not get to live another life and this is the only life I have, I do not want to miss out on experiencing everything I can. I like to try new things. For example, somedays I wave goodbye to my teacher with my right hand and the next time, I use my left hand just so I can try something different.
During my class morning meeting, I asked my teacher if we could share our goals. My goal is to be the youngest person to hike the PCT”
Grandma Annie’s response:
Ariana- As you left the LS Inquiry group, you waved with both hands and said this was an example of trying something new. Perhaps you learned the disposition of persistence and determination from me and your great grandma, Beste, which has been passed down from the lineage of the strong Danish women in our family. When faced with adversity or hardship, we are resilient, strong, powerful women who lean into the storm of life, rather than be blown over by the winds of adversity.
Also, on grandpa’s Abe side of the family, you come from strong, resilient Armenian ancestors who survived a genocide, traveled from their village near the base of Mount Ararat on foot, and made their way to New York City, as new immigrants to this county. Only two of the three siblings survived the long journey. But in spite of this great hardship, they persisted and the Toor family survived, as you carry on the next generation.
In such a short amount of time Ariana, we have lost many elderly family members and close friends: Beste, Margaret, Burt, and soon Pat, Kayle and Jocelyn. Life is precious, a gift to be treasured. So, I hope you continue to experience all the wonderful adventures life has to offer, living life to the fullest, without any regrets.
Did you know, oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure? Remember, no matter what you face in life, you are strong, persistent and determined. Run and lean into the wind. Let it carry you through this journey of life, as you sail into and out of adventurers, with arms open wide and remember to wave with both hands at all your ancestors spirits who are guiding and cheering you on.