Welcome to About That Life, a newsletter about general life lessons, food, health, and more. It’s free and comes twice per week.
Before The Ride
Life is like a rollercoaster. It has its ups and downs, twists and turns, moments of laughter, and moments of fear. Once the ride starts, we have little control over its direction. However, we can find ways to make the ride fun or manageable.
I remember my first rollercoaster experience. I was at the park with some friends and decided to give it a shot. I would describe that coaster as an intermediate- pro type, a bad move for a rookie. The ride started off slow. The next rookie move was that I kept my phone in my pocket. My fear of the worst grew as we climbed higher and higher.
The Experience
Once we reached the top, we took deep breaths and braced ourselves for the drop. I remember closing my eyes and holding my pocket, hoping that my phone would not fall. And that’s life, we never know what is going to come next. The drop can be steep and scary, or it can be gentle and slow.
As we hurtle down the first drop, we may feel a rush of adrenaline and excitement. Similarly, when we face a challenge in life, we may feel anxious or even scared. However, as we face the challenge and overcome it, we may feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, just like the feeling of triumph as we make it through the twists and turns of the coaster.
The ride then takes us through a series of twists and turns, ups and downs. We may feel disoriented, our stomachs churning, and our hearts racing. Life is much the same.
We went through loops and corkscrews, where we were upside down and inside out. I recall clinging on for life, praying for the ride to end. These moments are similar to the times in life when everything seems to be turned upside down. Perhaps we experience a loss, a change in our health, or a relationship ending. Our one wish in these times is for whatever it is to just end or pass.
The coaster took us through a few more ups and downs, but this time, we are prepared. We know what to expect, and we can face the challenges with confidence. This is much like life. Once we have faced and overcome challenges, we are better equipped to face new ones. We may even become more resilient and adaptable, knowing that we have the strength to face whatever comes our way.
The Lesson
Finally, the ride was over. Some of us were washed with relief (myself) while others felt a sense of exhilaration and accomplishment. Similarly, when we overcome a challenge in life, we may feel a sense of relief, but we may also feel a sense of pride in our ability to persevere.
In conclusion, our journey in life is similar to a rollercoaster ride. Twists and turns, victories and battles. but just like on a rollercoaster, we have the power to control how we react to these challenges. We can choose to face them with fear and uncertainty, or we can choose to face them with confidence and resilience. No matter what comes our way, we can choose to make the most of the ride.