The Ride

Life works in mysterious ways. But that is not surprising in any way, shape, or form. But what always seems to need a double take is getting that one idea. The one idea that no one’s thought of -- that no one’s claimed as their own. it is a ride unlike any other, filled with doubt, fear, joy, frustration, and more jumps and surprises than a low-budget horror movie. 

It is like a rollercoaster. Even before you get on, you question yourself. Is this safe? Am I doing the right thing? Only you can be the one to make that call. You’re standing at the front of the entrance, staring at the sign, wondering if you’re brave enough to step on with all the other hopefuls, planning for it to be the best decision of their lives. But it doesn’t matter, because you love what you do. So much so that you hop on, and just hope that everything works out in your favor. 

Standing in line seems to be the longest part. The doubt then creeps in when you start to wonder if all the waiting around is even worth it. And then you have to trust that the ride will not fall apart when your turn finally arrives. All that waiting for something to happen, anything. All it takes is one second for everything you have ever thought was possible to change. 

But you have made it. The last of the people in front of you have gotten on, and are experiencing what you’re mere inches away from experiencing. You begin to feel it in your bones; your hands start to shake and you sweat a little. Are you even ready for what is ahead? Are you ready for that big drop you know is coming? So you hop on. The locks click, and there is only one way to go from there. 

And you’re off. The picture you created in your mind of what you thought would happen now becomes instantly clearer. Maybe a name pops into your mind now. A location. A time-stamp. it is all starting to come together now. More images flood your consciousness. For a second, it almost feels like too much to even comprehend. Fear creeps into your mind as everything stable on the ground seems to fade into existence. 

You’re at the top, waiting for the fall back to the ground hanging below your feet. it is a sudden plummet, and you think for just a moment that nothing will stop the kinetic energy building up from the moment the chains stop moving. Your ideas seem to be fleeting, and it is a struggle finding where everything fits. Does it all even fit in one story? Only time will tell.

The drop quickly stops; that fear of heights seemingly resolved. A little slower now, you can finally catch your breath. An order of moving pictures and visuals gets clearer and clearer, and an order begins to take shape. There is not much there, but it is a significant step into something real from just a fantasy. The first hill after each drop is only the beginning of new ideas starting to take shape. 

Now, it is anything but a simple path. There are twists, turns, loops, and subtle breaks challenging your every move. Nothing seems remotely predictable, even though you can see all of it coming towards you. The end of the ride seems to be nothing more than an arms’ length away, but then... swerve! there is a turn you did not notice, pulling you in an entirely different direction. As long as you keep your focus, eventually you will get back on track. Maybe that detour helped more than you would have originally thought. Sooner or later, you have gone both forward 10 feet and back 50. 

Sometimes you do not get to finish the ride. Whether you get bored, stuck, or even just tired, you get off before you get the rewards. If you're lucky enough, the ride does get to finish its course, with you smiling from ear to ear in the front row, your hair in a mess. 

And it will all have been worth it. After all, happiness is a journey, not a destination. 

But life doesn’t always work that way. You do not always get that great ride the first time. You may even hate the experience so much to never go on another coaster again. However, if you’re strong enough and look forward enough to know what is coming at that finish line, the rest of the journey will not matter as much. Even if you get back to the station, and are forced to get off the ride and wait for everyone to have their turn, it will not matter because you will be ready for what is ahead. Sure, you will come across a few surprises you may have forgotten about, but what is life without taking a risk? 

Maybe you have worked hard enough to make it to the end. Your ride has come to a complete stop, and you have been along for the entire ride. The idea that was once only a daydream has been created and fulfilled in its entirety. You may go so far as to ask yourself, what happens now? you have spent a lifetime and then some on something that is not even biotic. And now something is missing. 

What happens now? You get back in line, and await your next turn. Maybe the next ride will be even better than the last. After all, waiting is the longest part. But that doesn’t make it the worst. At least now you know what lies ahead. Which just makes the journey all the more fun the next time. And the time after that. 

Life’s got its ups and downs. But what matters is not who you are at your highest highs, but what you do when you are at your lowest lows. And maybe then, just then, can you have your best idea yet.