Gratitude Practice 2023 Nov 1: The Power of a Hotel Bathrobe
One of the best parts of living in Salt Lake City is the abundance of high quality ski resorts within a very short distance of my front door. I've never been a winter sports enthusiast because I have zero coordination and because snow is frozen water which means it's always cold. But I have been a big fan of the various ski resort amenities for years and have happily indulged in most of them year round. Nothing better than enjoying a good book or trashy magazine near a roaring fire watching silly brave people sip down snow covered mountains...on purpose. Spa treatments are always better when offered near the top of mountains. Ski resorts, both on and off season, supply THE absolute best people watching and the snacks are usually top shelf. But mostly, the best pools and hot tubs in our community are found tucked away at bougie ski resorts for which I have zero chill paying for a day pass to enjoy their healing and restorative waters.
This fall, my little family escaped for a long weekend to one of our favorite mountain resorts to enjoy a little off season magic. It was a dreamy few days at the end of a long summer and the highlight was watching my girl discover the power of a hotel bathrobe and all that it can unlock for a person. Forever grateful for the memory of her experiencing the soft coziness of the white fuzzy robe as we prepared for a day at the pool. The hotel robe provides a simple function, a bit of protection, a makeshift towel and a bit of fancy which everyone enjoys. As she slipped it on over her playful colorful swimsuit her giggles were endless. Her eyes were bright. She felt fancy and curious and instantly grew ten years. We rolled up the sleeves multiple times and had to sinch and tuck and fold the extra fabric beneath the belt so it did not drag and then we were off.
Grateful for her happy little swagger as her flip flopped feet quickly walked down the hall to the elevator where she confidently selected the correct floor and eventually led the way to the pool. Grateful to see the world through her curious and excited eyes. Grateful to watch her carefully select her deck chair and gently place her white robe before recklessly jumping into the deep end with all childhood excitement. Grateful to see her enjoying a tiny pocket of our community that I love. Grateful she feels…safe…supported…secure…and confidently enjoyed the weekend easily making lifelong friends with everyone else in the pool. Grateful for the smell of sunscreen on her tiny body, for the messy top knot bun, for the inflatable rainbow floatie and for her endless energy and desire to experience life…all of it…every single drop. Grateful for the ability to rest. Grateful for the ease and means to create this simple memory. Grateful for all she is teaching me about enjoying life's little extras. And preemptively grateful for many happy pool days to come.