Horton Hears a Who

Dr. Seuss is one of my favorites. Horton Hears a Who was a very enjoyable movie and like the story has a great message. "A person is a person no matter how small." My favorite thing about the movie was the who's that were powering themselves with a kite and a blow dryer. That makes me think of my day today.

At around 10:00 this morning, my dad and I went out to the frozen like. The wind was blowing 18 mph, and the deceivingly powder soft snow lay like a blanket on the cold hard ice below. Kampeska. The lake I grew up on. Waterskiing, Ice Boating, Windsurfing, Wakeboarding. The waters of Kampeska have enveloped me time and time again--Swimming in her small waves to cool off my warm body in the summer heat, waterskiing at high speeds feeling the spray from my ski in my face, being thrown off a tube at 30 mph with my brother driving the boat, learning to windsurf--The lake has taught me many lessons and has bestowed upon me numerous memories.

Today Kampeska once again showed her mighty strength. I learned to kite when the wind was blowing 10 to 12 mph. 18 mph was a bit much for me. I flew the kite above me, high in the sky and maneuvered it to the left and right and headed down wind. I tried to turn into the wind to go to my starting destination, but was continually pulled to the other side of the lake. I couldn't make it back. And then I crashed. The kite went end over end, and it drug me with it like a rag doll drug behind the hand of a careless little girl. After the kite settle for a few moments, a gust of wind picked up the kite, taking me with it about 4 feet off the ground. I landed hard, in the deceiving powder that covered the brutal and impenetrable ice below biting my tongue. The kite had settled. I looked around me to try to figure out what happened tasting the blood that filled my mouth. I spit, and the pristine whiteness of the snow was tainted with orange. I stood, untangled my lines, and lifted my kite into the sky.

I had been beaten, and was beaten again after I continued to try, and will be beat again until someday I finally die, but until then, I will continue to welcome the challenge of the wind, the lake, and the speed that everyday life throws at me.