Gemütlichkeit

The literal translation of the German word “gemütlich” is “warm and congenial, pleasant or friendly”. The literal translation of “gemütlichkeit” is “warm friendliness, amicability” (both according to the American Heritage Dictionary). These translations don’t quite convey the real meaning of the words, however. In substance, they connote a certain kind of social acceptance or ease, an atmosphere of cheerfulness, of communal or shared, easy activity at a relaxed pace. A great old ski lodge and a warm pub filled with friends and neighbors both may be described as gemütlich places, or as being filled with gemütlichkeit.

I had a particularly fun morning skiing with a couple of friends today. It reminded me that the actual act of skiing itself is only one small part of what I enjoy about skiing generally.

After several runs – which continue to get better and stronger, incidentally - on my third day back, my friends and I took a break inside the summit lodge at Okemo. The lodge was busy for a weekday morning, but it was a particularly merry crowd of mostly locals taking refuge from the wind and cold.

Making my way from the cafeteria, hot chocolate in hand, to the seats we had scoped out took some time. This wasn’t because it was crowded, but because there were so many people I knew in there, all surprised and happy to see me up on top of the mountain. I can’t articulate just how good it made me feel to be greeted in that way, to be encouraged by so many people, some of whom are friends but many of whom are merely acquaintances but generally glad to see me in ski boots. We sat, my friends and I, chatted with those around us, swapped stories, and generally did what normal people enjoying a day of skiing do when taking a break. In a winter season that has been anything but normal, it finally felt to me like I was back, among my people, where I feel that I belong. Gemütlichkeit, even in our brightly lit, not particularly cozy summit lodge here at Okemo. It’s the people that make a community and an atmosphere, and it was a joy to be welcomed and to share in it this morning.