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Hometown

Park City, UT

Joie de VIVre

Skiing with my husband, listening to the laughter of my three children, hiking with my dogs and watching them run.

VIV Moment

Eight years ago my husband and I spent three days kayaking in Alaska, 50 miles south of Glacier Bay. Along with a guide and my sister, we spent those days skimming along the water watching the orcas leaping, sea lions playing games of “hide and seek” and humpback whales swimming with their young calfs.

The most amazing part of the trip happened just as we were preparing to end it. As we paddled close to the shore of a small cove, we lifted our paddles out of the water and drifted along with the current, watching a humpback whale and its calf swimming about 100 yards from us.

The whales disappeared under the surface of the water, only to resurface about 10 feet from our kayak — they swam so close to us I could have touched them with my paddle. Along with my brief panic (!) I was struck by my own insignificance compared to these beautiful, enormous, majestic creatures.

It was such an exhilirating moment, and a memory so vivid despite its briefness and the passage of time.

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