Lean On Me

It's a steep, snow-packed walk from the dining commons to Aspenbrook Lodge. I learned that on my way to First and Second Year Guide Training in one of that lodge's conference rooms. I experienced it again, helping a VIP after breakfast. At times, he let both feet slide while I used the less packed snow on the very edge for traction. By then, I had guided this guide trainer for about an hour on skis, but was he really that trusting? The path was hard as concrete and a fall would be painful. Or, we might slide to the bottom.

Later that day, I was hanging out with my skier back at the lodge. Anthony is gregarious, catching up with everyone. He fell into an easy banter with another VIP whose concern of the moment seemed to be hosting parties later in the week. Main problem: "I don't know how to get what we need."

My chance!

"I'm Tim from Colorado. I'm a local, so I drive home every night. Give me a shopping list and I'll set you up."

As fate would have it, days passed before I could get to the store. So, here's my offer to the party host: "Let's drive into town together to shop. That way you pick out what you want and you're stocked for happy hour this evening." We drove to Rocky Mountain Moonshine, where I was able to proudly introduce my new friend to old friends who were hanging out there.

Arriving back at the lodge, we take our bounty upstairs, word goes out and the host's room slowly fills. I play bartender as I get introduced to a posse of VIPS -- SFL veterans that get to ski only this one week every year.

The dinner hour approaches and we start filing out of the room and down the hallway. "Tim, come up here and take the lead," someone says. I dutifully scoot up the side to the head of the line, and navigate out through the narrow halls and doors. We get to the foot of the steep hill up to the dining commons.

"Tim, aren't you the singer?"

Anthony and I often sing as we pass other pairs. Has the word gotten out?

"Sing the chain gang song!"

It must be a bit like being on a chain gang with your movements tightly coupled to the person on each side of you as the gang traverses the hill to dinner. But what chain gang song? The Pretenders? Sam Cooke? Those lyrics and melodies don't reveal themselves to me.

"How about some Bill Withers?," I counter.

"Lean on me, when you're not strong --"

I belt it out as loud as I can and I hear everyone behind me join in. We make our way to dinner in joy and camaraderie.

After dessert, I look for the chain gang song lyrics on the web. That would have been fun, too. But how about the rest of the Bill Withers lyrics? I pull them up, zoom to a size that Anthony can read, and pass my phone to him.

"I like the verse about pride," Anthony says as he hands back my phone. "I didn't remember that one."

I didn't remember it either.

Let me swallow some of my pride. I have medical issues with my eyesight, something I share with my father and grandfather. It's a progressive disease, but the prognosis is good; yet, it's not why I volunteered for SFL.

Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow

The ski week in Granby was a respite, as I escaped the private sorrows of the rest of my life. Being welcomed unconditionally into the SFL family was a reward beyond anything I imagined.