On a recent afternoon my family engaged in the annual tradition of adorning our home with various holiday decor.  We swilled hot cocoa as we tore through the various bins hastily put away at the end of last year’s holiday season.  We have an ornament of a sharply dressed bear ice skating that has garnered specific interest from the toddlers.  Outfitted with a tweed coat and hat, the bear’s scarf is seemingly flowing in the wind created by its gliding along the ice.  My four year old, Leta, has taken to having the bear skate across the dining room table while she patiently waits for dinner to be served. This prompted her to ask when she can learn to ice skate.  My heart melted.  “You’re ready now!” I exclaimed and we immediately made plans to make this a priority for this winter.  (Ellie too of course, she wants to be a part of whatever her big sister is doing).

I grew up ice skating about as soon as I could walk.  I still remember strapping on a pair of double bladed gems to take my first turns on my neighbor’s frozen yard.  I went on to play ice hockey in high school and college and spent a few seasons ahead of Covid in a men’s league.  And while at times I miss the excitement of competing at the rink, the echoes bouncing off the boards and glass, I have and will always prefer to play pond hockey above all else.  There is so much more freedom in the open play on the pond.  Folks come together, often different people each time, for friendly competition and appreciation for the game in its purest form.  The rules are based on courtesy: don’t lift the puck, no slap shots, goals don’t count if you’re far out, you can push your friends into the snowbank as long as you’re okay with them pushing you back.

In a world where everything seems so scheduled and organized it’s refreshing to meet on the pond for a pick-up game.  Folks come and go as they please, we take breaks when we feel like it, and no one ever remembers the score.  The camper experience at Brown Ledge is similar.  Campers bound amongst the different activities at their choosing.  There are goals to achieve if they want to, but there is no pressure to do so.  They can partake in an activity just for the sake of doing it.  They experience joy through unbridled play amongst friends.

During this holiday season I hope you can find a moment for play with your family.  Whether it’s learning to skate, taking turns down the ski hill, finishing a puzzle together, or competing across the table over a board game these are the kinds of moments we should truly treasure and the types of memories that last a lifetime.

My 20 year old son and I continue to play pond hockey together and soon I will get Leta and Ellie on the ice for the first time.  And while there is a part of me that hopes they learn to love ice skating as much as I do, it will always be their choice to partake in the activities they want to.

I sincerely wish everyone the very happiest of Holiday Seasons and that all are filled with the optimism that comes with the promise of a New Year.  

Yours in Brown Ledge Spirit – Brooks