Rest day Abisko Mountain Lodge.
I sit on my rucksack and hang forward, glad to have the weight off my shoulders and be off my feet. I’ve been skiing so many hours these last days, almost without pause that it feels strange to stop… like the pulse of time itself skips a beat. I look up but my mind is looking elsewhere; inside, backwards, and forwards to Abisko and my planned rest day. It will be an important day, a chance for my mind to catch up and my body to recover. There are harder reasons that mark this day, for it’s my father’s birthday. The clear skies and marked trails open a rabbit hole I fall through into memories and thoughts of him. I wouldn’t be here without him. Not just in a literal sense but I wouldn’t be the character I am without his influence, love and support. I knew it would be a hard day. It is a hard day, but it’s also just another day on my journey. I stand up, put my skis and rucksack on, take a deep breath, look forward and start to ski again.