Roller Coasters

Roller coasters are often used as a visual example of the ups and downs of life. Some people love roller coasters; some people prefer to sit and wait as the others take a ride. But I think people are also like roller coasters. There are old fashion wooden classic coasters full of nostalgia; new magnetic coasters that take off in the blink of an eye, examples of our latest technology and trends. Some coasters have great twists and turns, others have heart stopping drops.

I’m “the grizzly”. A rickety old wooden coaster at Paramount’s Kings Dominion tucked away in the woods, with fantastic drops and turns. The lap bar never seems to come down far enough and I am lifted out of my seat at most every drop. Arms should always be above your head in order to achieve the full effect. Near the end of the ride you plummet down a hill into a rusted old metal tunnel. There is a local urban legend that if you leave your hands raised in this tunnel they will be chopped off at the wrist. This coaster is something from the past, full of romance, nostalgia, and local legend.




Everyday, no, every moment of every day, you have a choice. In all things there is good and there is bad. You choose which one to focus on. Sometimes that’s a harder choice than others, but it is still always your choice. Sure there are times when no one would blame you for choosing to focus on the bad, it’s so overwhelming. And maybe the good hasn’t even shown itself yet. But if you hold on, if you hold out and wait for it, the good will always be there.

This is my story. Some might say I have had a lot of bad for such a short life. The facts are unmistakable. But that’s not what this is about. This is about finding the good, waiting for the good and the triumph of its arrival.