Elements of Risk

While riding a chairlift you can often spot placards affixed to the poles of the lift. They offer advice such as “Skiers are encouraged to wear sunscreen at high altitudes”, “Prepare to unload with ski tips up”, or “This lift closes at 4 pm”.

On a ride up the chair during our recent ski trip I spied this one, “There are elements of risk in skiing that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce.” I would like to take that sign, replace the word “skiing” with “life” and hang it prominently in our kitchen so that my kids could read it before heading out the door.

I do not know that skiing is necessarily a metaphor for life, but that sign sure tells it like it is. I love its message and the wisdom it imparts. It is a reminder to me to be more intentional as a parent in helping my kids identify and take responsibility for elements of risk they encounter in their daily lives.

We all know that life can be risky, and it certainly is unpredictable. Acknowledging this seems like a great first step in addressing risks. And while common sense seems to be an attribute that comes more naturally to some than to others, I cannot imagine an adult, looking back on his or her own youth, who will not agree that common sense is largely an acquired skill. It can be instilled. It can be learned. I heard a great definition once that states “Common sense means paying attention to the obvious.” This entails slowing down, thinking things through, and having the confidence to trust your instincts. These are great skills that it is possible to hone at any age.

And they seem to go hand in hand with the second protective factor identified on that chairlift sign, personal awareness. While personal awareness, by definition, focuses on the self, it is really the opposite of self-absorption. Personal awareness implies awareness on one’s self in relation to others, whether circumstances or individuals. It suggests an ability to appreciate a situation in the context of all that is going on around oneself. It has been my observation that such awareness does not necessarily come easily to teenagers. Thus, the learning opportunity.

Common sense and personal awareness can keep you out of trouble as you go careening down a mountain, and I think they are equally effective in life beyond skis. Helping our kids become more adept at “paying attention to the obvious” may sound so obvious as to be unnecessary. But it is a part of helping them connect the dots in their lives. And that is a worthwhile endeavor.