Between the Noise and the Next Step | More Thoughts on Ilia’s Next Season
The hottest question in the figure skating world right now sounds simple: “What will Ilia do next?” And somehow, an entire fandom has turned into detectives, philosophers, life coaches, travel agents and Netflix producers overnight.
From the most usual theories: “He takes a break”, “He’ll do DWTS”, “He will restore mental health”, “He is taking a long vacation”, to the craziest ones: Ilia & Yuma ice show world tour, free online Ilianglish lessons, a FIFA World Cup reporter, a pair with Amber, QuadCats café founder and executive producer of the record-breaking cooking show “Diced Tomatoes”. Seems like Ilia fans are serving creativity and chaos in unlimited supply, just like their idol. 😀
Decisions… aren’t they a lot like crossroads?
Keep straight, speeding down the Succession highway in a 4A cabriolet, with NF on the air. Or turn right, take a quiet suburban road, heading toward the Home you are building for someone, Who was made for loving you. Or maybe take left instead, a forest track with no one around, even Not A Vampire, only Fear playing hide and seek among the shadows. Yes, stop altogether, done with Running. Take a trail here, el camino Malagueña, listening to the whisper of your own Voice.
Life crossroads, these in-between places. How do you know, which path is truly yours? You stand and hesitate, because what if? What if I lose sharpness, or jumps, or status? What if someone else takes the spotlight? What if I no longer return the same? And the hardest: “Who am I besides skating?”
You stand at your crossroad, and suddenly the noise grows louder. Everyone rushes to give advice, yet there has never been “one-size-fits-all” version.
“You must rest, season was tough”.
“You have to stay focused on your goals and train harder. Look at your age.”
“Do half season, because who will secure USA’s third place at Worlds?”
“Compete fully, the crowds are waiting for you now, they expect you to be present, don’t let them down!”
Even a gentle “Just do what makes you happy” feels strange, because how can you be sure what happiness is supposed to look like now, despite holding Misty and Miu Miu in your lap?
All roads become obscure with so many voices attached to it. Let’s be careful here. “Is this what you wanted?” … Remember?
We just have to let him breathe.
It is one thing to make a decision, and something entirely different to make it in front of the whole world. So a little more silence would really help. Because somewhere between packed arenas, tour buses, interviews, late night shows, there is a young man trying to hear his own thoughts louder than the hype around.
He will decide (or maybe has decided already), and it will be his best choice under the given circumstances. Hopefully, the one that will bring him inner peace, with a “chill off, cool out” vibe and enough space for God’s hand to do the rest: “I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.”
Yes, people are worried a little. But reading these discussions, I sometimes get the feeling that the anxiety is not only about Ilia taking a hiatus, but about how this might affect our own world. How are we supposed to move through this uncertainty, perhaps with fewer competitions, less ice presence, and a smaller daily dose of Ilia, something many of us quietly grown attached to? Perhaps we are even not so much afraid of a change in his world, but of the emptiness it may bring to ours? What if we simply fear losing the version of ourselves that came alive while watching him skate?
Does any of this resonate with you?
But no matter what, Ilia has brilliant advice here: “Take one step at a time.” Stop pulling. Stop projecting. And let us stop worrying. Better to embrace these #chaosgod times together with patience, curiosity, and pure loyalty. It is such a joy to see everyone here supporting Ilia unconditionally, giving him so much space and fresh air to simply be himself.
So breathe, Ilia! 🩵
And “As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”
It always does.