My heart is warm today.
It is a nice surprise, actually, on a Saturday morning when I know that I will be at work for another twenty-six hours or so until the weekend is over.
Today, while taking a walk outside and in the lodges before heading to my desk, I saw a family unpacking their car. The dad was holding the ski gear while mom struggled to get the little girl’s jacket on. She had on the cutest hat, an animal with pointy ears, and when we made brief eye contact, my whole face smiled back at her.
Into the lodge I headed, where a young boy was, as my mother would say, shoveling a plate full of what looked like a chocolate filled crepe into his mouth. He looked so content, and again, my heart filled with happiness.
I diverted my path and instead of going to my office, I walked around for a few minutes.
Looking around, at the kids and the families, at our amazing staff and this giant family we call Mount Peter, I couldn’t help but let the reality of what we provide for people seep into my bones. Whether it’s time together or time alone, the moments spent here are so precious. We get to watch, every day, memories being made. People get to take a few hours out of their busy lives and reunite with each other, with themselves, in such a meaningful way. I don’t think that people come here to find themselves, I think it’s more than that. I think that they come here to remember who they are.
I know these things, in my mind. My brain reminds me all the time of the impact that our mountain has on others. But my heart, beating in a body that is a little tired, sometimes forgets. I get caught up in the day-to-day worries and stresses, and I forget about why this mountain is so special.
On this particular Saturday morning, with the help of some very cute little customers and perhaps a little winter magic in the air, I am glad to remember. I am glad to remember who I am, and why so many of us have dedicated our lives to this mountain.
It’s for the smiles that we create, and feel in our hearts.
—
Amy S. Cutler
Amy S Cutler is the Executive Manager at Mount Peter, and a writer who earned her master’s degree in Creative Writing from Goddard College. Her work can be found in Tales to Terrify, wow-women on writing, The Pitkin Review, and more. Her first novel, “A Shadow of Love,” was published in May of 2022, and her second novel, “To Have and to Hold, to Love and to Kill,” was released in December, 2023. She can be found at AmysHippieHut.com and all major book retailers.