Life, the Roller Coaster

I want you to close your eyes (well, if you do that you can't read, so close them afterward) and imagine with me. I want you to visualize in your mind that you are at an amusement park and before your eyes is the largest, most thrilling ride you have ever beheld. You are with a friend, a close friend, someone you really care about. You both look at each other and smile with childlike grins that seem to say "I triple dog dare you". And together you bolt for the insanely long line that ever so slowly crept forward. While awaiting your ultimate doom you chat about the weather being perfect for the day, memories of other life threatening adventures, and other silliness. As you near the entrance you can make out these words over the archway of the door, "entering the point of no return!" To the right you see a chicken exit. You tease each other about chickening out. But no way are you going to let the other person know you are scared to death, so you hide your fear, shoving your white clammy hands deep in your pockets, and let out a nervous chuckle. That's it, you lost your chance to turn back, now you have to face the ride.

So, you and your partner climb into your seats, the bars are lowered down over your head just as your final bit of courage makes it way to your stomach. The ride workers come back to ensure you are properly fastened in, you doubting their expertise and perfect training (ha ha) and triple check by wiggling the bars, tightening the straps and praying that they passed safety inspection.

Well, you are off. Slowly you creep up the steep hill. Anticipation, fear and the excitement of knowing when you reach the top you are going to be hurled hundreds of feet to your utter destruction, so it seems, overwhelms your thoughts. Your heart beat begins to match the clanking of the track. You look over the side of the car and see tiny people the size of ants, all waving at you. You near the top and thoughts of death pass before you. You begin to wonder if you should have just taken the chicken exit, forget looking brave and cool for your friend. Your car reaches the top and you have a split second to catch your breath just so you can scream the whole way down! The wind is in your face so forcefully that the scream is unable to come out. You come to the bottom of the drop, you are still alive and you can begin to breath. Your stomach has caught back up with the rest of your body and the roller coaster continues to twist and wind around furiously. You are moving so fast that the car shakes and rattles, your body begins to feel like a baby's toy rattle. There is a loop up ahead and you hold onto your safety harness for dear life just praying the technicians installed it correctly. Before you know it there is another loop. And then again there is another twist and another drop. Your arms are flailing around and you no longer know if you are up or down or sideways. Everything is spinning. You look to your friend next to you to see how they are fairing the ride. They look a little green, you wonder if this is the one you should have chosen to ride with because they might just vomit on you. Then all of a sudden out of no where the ride comes to a surprising turn and immediately the brakes are put on and the ride slows dramatically. You smooth your hair, shake your hands to get the feeling back in. You let out a strange shaky laugh and begin to excitedly chat with your co-rider about the twists and turns, and ask how they faired the ride. The ride comes to a stop and you are let out. Your footing is a little unsure. You grab your friend's arm. You look at them and see that they are no longer green, they are actually stronger and more able to stand than you are. You allow them to help you out and together you walk away from the ride. You excitedly reflect back on the ride, even turning around to look at the MONSTER that you just conquered together. You laugh, you smile, you say "WE DID IT!", "That was awesome", "it was totally worth it", and yes, even "LET'S GO AGAIN!".