“Life is always best outside! Enjoying the Bow River loop in Lake Louise. My late husband never let cancer stop him. Life is too short to not celebrate every day you can get outside. He taught our son well.” Photo by Kristen
I’ve added six more photos to the Emerald Lake Lodge contest page. Kristen sent the above photo for the contest. She also sent me this message and has given me permission to post it:
Brock with son Ben
“Here’s a photo of my late husband towing our son on a sled on the Bow River trail in Lake Louise. My husband died a couple of years ago of cancer with which he struggled for 8 years. I believe in this photo he’s actually got a bag of chemo flowing into him hidden under his jacket. He had an indominatable spirit, and nothing kept him from enjoying the outdoors with his son. My son Ben went on to enjoy several years of Jack Rabbits skiing. He’s 11 now, and now he skis with me wherever I go. We treasure memories like this that we shared with Brock. We miss him most at Christmas. Although we live life to the fullest and enjoy every day like we’ve woken up to win the lottery.”
A reminder, deadline for entering the Emerald Lake contest is Dec 24 at 11:59 pm.
Please Bob, Give the Emerald lake lodge nights to Kristen and Ben. She’s incredibly courageous.
Kristen, you have set us all on a good track – even better than the tracks around Emerald Lk and the Connector – here. Your consent to share your stories, photos and memories of Brock and your family is inspirational, generous …and more wide reaching than you will ever know. There is sanctuary and support on the trails and amongst the trees as we grieve and seek peace and calm…the reminder is timely! Bob’s website (and our xc ski days) is sure good medicine. Wishing everyone good memories and skiing sanctuary this new year.
Thank you Kristen for honouring your husband Brock and your son Ben in this Christmas Eve message and touching photos. While I cannot feel the depth of your loss, I am currently teary-eyed and deeply inspired by your courage to share this photo and honour your husband in this public domain, where love for outdoor snow pursuits reign. I worked 29 years at TBCC and the inner strength of the families we worked for and with, kept us forever humbled and focussed on our common goals and values: as you said, to make every single precious moment count. Keeping our health each year IS winning the lottery!
Fingers crossed for you to win the contest. Yours story is very inspiring. We have lost 4 family members (and really liked most of them) during the Christmas season and while reflecting on their loss, still have to love this season. Just came back from Emerald Lake (won contest shortly after my mother’s passing last year and my own cancer diagnosis) and cannot adequately explain the catharsis of this beautiful place. No TV but we survived. Beauty is outstanding. Good luck!