How I Learned Worlds of Fun Sometimes Parallels Life

I'm trying to do more things. Today I went to Worlds of Fun, our local amusement park with my awesome friend, Heith. I warned him I wasn't so good with the big stuff, you know, roller coasters. I'm all for almost all the other kinds of rides, I've just never been okay for the "thrill" rides. But, I'm pretty proud of myself. I rode The Patriot, twice. I mean, I didn't open my eyes or anything, but I did like the way it hugged me.

The Patriot - Park photo from website.

Heith kept asking me what I didn't like about the other rides.  I always thought that it was the heights, but I'm kinda okay with most of that. I love the ferris wheel. (But never, ever, ever will I go on the Steelhawk, too high man, too high.) Maybe the speed? But after a conversation revealing I usually drive faster than these rides go, well that probably wasn't it. However, I don't drive in super tight curves, nor with drops causing my belly to be all butterflied and wobbly. 

My anxiety got the best of me and I had to beg my way out of riding one of the other roller coasters, twice. It really bothered me, tied me up in knots. The second time I thought I would be able to ride it, but I just couldn't. Next time, I'll try again.

After I got home, I thought about it a little bit. There are things in life that we fear because of not really knowing what's going happen. And that's what it is, isn't it? We might have an idea of a little of what will happen, like with the rides. I know that I'm going to tense up, I'm going to be extremely uncomfortable and my heart will race. And that feeling of falling...I don't like it. I really don't. Will it make me sick? Will I get so anxious it could cause problems?  

Now, apply that to life. When change happens, we don't know what to expect. Things are now unfamiliar. We may think we have a point of reference, but sometimes experience doesn't always apply.  Then we worry about the unknown, our fight or flight response can become triggered. If not, we may just stay in our own heads, not able to get out of them, no matter how much help we get from others, friends or family or professionals. 

Being frightened of the rides is much like being frightened of changes in our lives. Who knew you could learn something from an amusement park to apply to bigger aspects of life?


Today I ate: some glazed chocolate Munchkins, QT coffee, various sodas, veggie sandwich

Today I bought: nothing!