Life is like a roller coaster…

The fictional character Forrest Gump said “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”  And this is true.  We can all identify with that sentiment because more often than not, life does treat us to unforeseen events – we don’t know what we’re gonna get.

Chocolates, yes – but I see life like a roller coaster, with dips and trips at every bend.

The roller coaster phenomenon is an either/or proposition – it’s met with either a squeal of glee or an inaudible tightened grimace.  It inspires excitement as much as it instills fear.  When we are children, the mere thought of a roller coaster ride is like that of being offered a candy bar – sweet and adrenaline producing.  Kids have little to no fear of being tossed around like a corked bottle in an angry sea.

But we as adults are a little more cautious.  We stand at ground level staring up at the massive structure – wondering if this is a good idea.  We are apprehensive.

Summoning the courage is what our lives are all about.

First, we make a decision.  Do I want to take this ride?  Do I want to take this job, move to that new city, start a family, write that memoir?

Decision made – we need to get in line and pay.  We put our money where our mouth is, and buy our ticket.  We wait our turn, patiently, to get to the front.  As we stand there, the anticipation about the event grows.  “Should I be doing this?”, “Will I love this or regret this?”  We second guess.

As we queue up, our placement is decided either by the volume of riders or by the chutzpah of some who push and scramble to the front or back (for what they perceive to be the optimal experience.)  Wherever we end up in the pecking order, we are all connected, via metal and humanity.

We strap in, trustingly secured into place. We prepare for the journey, by tucking away our sunglasses, our wallets, and other valuables, to protect against unexpected loss – a sort of unsigned personal insurance policy.  There’s no turning back.  We take a breath, look to our community coaster mates, searching for confirmation that they have our backs.

Then the climb begins.  Much like life, the climb can be slow and torturous, but also filled with excitement and anticipation.  What happens when we get to the top?  As the last clicks of the hydraulic system fade out of earshot, the adventure begins.  Stomach-churning drops, propelling some to throw their hands in the air while others secure their Superman grip to the safety bar.  The dips, the twists and turns, the bumps against the metal, and the speed all force us into an in-the-moment state of mind.  We have no choice but to accept the ride and enjoy it as best we can.  We can either brace against the experience or embrace the unpredictability of it all.  As the trip winds down, we swing into home base, wind-blown, hoarse and out of breath.  We blink our eyes, shocked we made it through.  We high-five our neighbor as if we just completed a marathon.

Because truth is, we did.  We put ourselves in the thick of it.  We put our faith in the operators and in the universe…and allowed ourselves to go with the flow.  Internal pride flows through our veins – because we survived the unknown, because we fought through the fear.

It isn’t any coincidence that roller coasters are a huge form of entertainment around the world; that engineers continue to push the limits to make them taller and faster beyond our imaginations.  Because we as people, look to push the boundaries in our lives – to take on new challenges, brave the ups and downs that life throws us, hoping to come out at the end of the ride with a heart filled with joy and no regrets.