It was perfectly set up. My boys were to take their very first ski lesson in gorgeous Mont Tremblant while I indulged in a relaxation massage at the Le Westin Resort & Spa. My husband, a novice skier who was keen to introduce our boys to winter sports, was in charge of bringing them to the bunny hill and overseeing their lessons. We had a plan.
“Take pictures!” I said.
“You know I will!” he replied.
However, 15 minutes before my massage commenced, I received a phone call from my husband informing me that he and the boys had been separated into different groups at the hill. “They’ll be okay,” he assured me.
And I knew they would be. They were signed up for private ski lessons and the instructors at Tremblant Snow School are world-class. I knew they were in the best hands possible. Except all of a sudden… I realized what I would be missing. I would miss seeing my boys navigate down a slope on skis for the very first time. I would miss capturing their expressions of satisfaction as they learned a new skill. I would miss an important “first” that I’d never get back. And I didn’t want to do that. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t understood the significance before that moment.
I made a game-time decision to cut 25 minutes off my massage. Throwing on my winter wear and slinging my camera around my neck, I rushed to the bunny hill in time to catch my boys’ first ski lesson, already in progress.
There’s Ryder, a naturally gifted athlete who gained the confidence to go down the hill solo on only his third descent. And there’s Reid, learning to balance and conquer his fear of heights with help from a Snow School instructor. I shouted at them from the sidelines and they looked my way, breaking into huge grins and waving with glee.
It’s a morning I’ll never forget… it’s living in the moment, Tremblant edition.
Of course, I realize that sometimes, it’s easier said than done. So, I’m here to help! Courtesy of my friends at