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Have you ever thought of life being like a carousel ride?
Life isn’t what we had dreamed and sometimes it’s
downright discouraging. There are times in my life when
the ride is so awful I wonder if I somehow got on the
wrong ride and I anxiously wanted it to slow down
enough so I could jump off and jump back on to something
better. Unfortunately on the rides of life there’s not an
option to jump and board something we think is better.
I remember being at an amusement park with blinking
lights, loud festive music, and the smell of cotton candy
filling my senses. Standing in line watching and waiting
for the carousel to stop and for my turn to get on, I
followed the rotations of the carousel anxiously trying to
decide which of the colorfully painted animals I would
rush to as soon as the carousel stopped. Would it be one
of the elephants, horses, or perhaps the llamas? As soon
as the conductor took my ticket and allowed me through
the entrance gate I darted to mount the one I’d been eying.
When I finally got on board I didn’t always get the ride I
wanted. Sometimes someone else beat me to it and then I’
d rush to another animal and then another until I finally
settled for whatever was available. It was disappointing
to discover the one I got was one of those that stayed
stationery and didn’t move up and down. If I had only
gotten one to the outside edge I would have leaned with
my arm stretched out and half of my body hanging off the
ride. With the breeze blowing through my hair I would
fly dizzily watching the crowd whirl by. But no, I had the
stiff, motionless animal in the center of the carousel
where the young, less experienced kids rode while a
comforting parent stood near.
Some rides you just have to make the best of, like the
ones when your animal doesn’t move up and down. One of
those for me is Mental Illness. I don’t have it, (though
some of my friends and family members may contest that
claim). However, let me clarify, I did ask to have mental
illness. I asked “The Conductor” to let me trade that ride
with my daughter. But the answer was “no.” I’ve lost a
brother and two cousins to suicide. Mental Illness is a
nightmare of a ride. But there is hope and the ride has its
benefits. Mental Illness affects everyone. “Everyone” is
you, too. I hope you will read the articles and resources
on mental illness. No one should ride this one alone.
Then, some rides are so much fun, like when my kids
were young doing and saying the cutest things. What
about dream vacations or the feeling of falling in love?
These days an exciting ride is short-term mission Trips.
I’ve had the privilege of taking several to Eastern
Europe, primarily Ukraine and Moldova to teach
conversational English.
We all have rides in life that are surprises, scary, or
supernatural. This page is about some of the rides in life
I’ve had. Read up…you may decide to take some exciting
rides with me, too. I hope you are encouraged by the
stories!
Life isn’t what we had dreamed and sometimes it’s
downright discouraging. There are times in my life when
the ride is so awful I wonder if I somehow got on the
wrong ride and I anxiously wanted it to slow down
enough so I could jump off and jump back on to something
better. Unfortunately on the rides of life there’s not an
option to jump and board something we think is better.
I remember being at an amusement park with blinking
lights, loud festive music, and the smell of cotton candy
filling my senses. Standing in line watching and waiting
for the carousel to stop and for my turn to get on, I
followed the rotations of the carousel anxiously trying to
decide which of the colorfully painted animals I would
rush to as soon as the carousel stopped. Would it be one
of the elephants, horses, or perhaps the llamas? As soon
as the conductor took my ticket and allowed me through
the entrance gate I darted to mount the one I’d been eying.
When I finally got on board I didn’t always get the ride I
wanted. Sometimes someone else beat me to it and then I’
d rush to another animal and then another until I finally
settled for whatever was available. It was disappointing
to discover the one I got was one of those that stayed
stationery and didn’t move up and down. If I had only
gotten one to the outside edge I would have leaned with
my arm stretched out and half of my body hanging off the
ride. With the breeze blowing through my hair I would
fly dizzily watching the crowd whirl by. But no, I had the
stiff, motionless animal in the center of the carousel
where the young, less experienced kids rode while a
comforting parent stood near.
Some rides you just have to make the best of, like the
ones when your animal doesn’t move up and down. One of
those for me is Mental Illness. I don’t have it, (though
some of my friends and family members may contest that
claim). However, let me clarify, I did ask to have mental
illness. I asked “The Conductor” to let me trade that ride
with my daughter. But the answer was “no.” I’ve lost a
brother and two cousins to suicide. Mental Illness is a
nightmare of a ride. But there is hope and the ride has its
benefits. Mental Illness affects everyone. “Everyone” is
you, too. I hope you will read the articles and resources
on mental illness. No one should ride this one alone.
Then, some rides are so much fun, like when my kids
were young doing and saying the cutest things. What
about dream vacations or the feeling of falling in love?
These days an exciting ride is short-term mission Trips.
I’ve had the privilege of taking several to Eastern
Europe, primarily Ukraine and Moldova to teach
conversational English.
We all have rides in life that are surprises, scary, or
supernatural. This page is about some of the rides in life
I’ve had. Read up…you may decide to take some exciting
rides with me, too. I hope you are encouraged by the
stories!
Tootsie Roll
| PASSIONS: |
| PASSIONS |
| The Ride of Our Life |
