Merry-Go-Round or Roller Coaster?

Life is full of twists and turns, ups and downs, surprises and change.  Wouldn’t life be a bore without these things?  Sometimes we don’t like these ups and downs but in my, ahem, seasoned age, I have learned that if you wait a second and look back, hopefully you would be able to see those hard times ended up creating some kind of good.  The ups and downs gave you valuable life lessons and the changes were unavoidable but necessary.

When I think of the rollercoaster of life, I always think of the grandma in the 1989 movie Parenthood…..

Grandma: “You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.”

Gil (adult grandson who’s majorly stressed out by life) “OH?”

Grandma: “Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!”

Gil:“What a great story” (thinking she’s just a senile old lady)

Grandma: “I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing.  I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.”

Grandma is my favorite character in that movie.  Isn’t that outlook so brilliant? There are times when I am a merry-go-round girl but that gets boring real quick.  It feels safer but there’s no excitement.

The roller coaster is the ride I choose.  But it has been making me a little sick lately.  I want the ride to stop so I can hop off and run for the kiddie rides or better yet, head for the funnel cake truck.  But I have commitments, parental duties and boot straps to yank.  There are people around me hurting and I need to be there for them.  My kids, each, have their own struggles and they need me to guide them and love on them.  My husband married me for my money and whit so letting him down is not an option.

I am strapped in.  I’m committed.  Bring on the loops, dips and jerky corners.  I’m in it for the long haul.  I know many of you are going through some pretty tough stuff right now.  I have shed some tears for some of you.  I have prayed and will continue.  I am so very sorry you are hurting and I wish I could do more for you.  Please, don’t give up, give it to God.  I know it’s hard to see it right now, but what you are going through is making you stronger and maybe when you heal, you can help others who are going through this same situation.  As my oldest son would say, Gods’ got you!