Roller Coaster

Once upon a time, only seems like yesterday, a very young, very brave, very adventurous child looked up at his mother and said, "I want to ride The Big Bad Wolf". His mother said "Are you sure? Once we start there is nothing to do but finish". "Oh yes," the young boy insisted. And so they got in line with a thousand other people who also wished to ride The Big Bad Wolf.

The line was long and not very fast moving. Periodically the mother would ask again in the brave young boy still wished to ride the roller coaster and always he would agree there was nothing he wanted to do more. After an eternity or so it seemed they finally reached the place where they could see the gates to line up to get a seat on the roller coaster train, the mother asked again. As they got into the gate, she asked again. Each time the very brave young boy said, yes he was sure.

Finally, at long last, it was their turn. as they climbed into the car, pulled down the safety bars, and locked the seat belt, she asked one last time. And she reminded the brave young boy that once they left there was nothing to do but ride it out to the finish. He was excited and quite sure this was going to be a wonderful adventure.

The trained pulled out of the station and gaining speed it took the very first curve swinging the cars out over toward the right. It was then that that very brave young boy said to his mother "I have changed my mind. I don't think I like this ride." Mom was all sympathy when she said in turn, "Well close your eyes honey. There is nothing to do now but hold on."

Fast forward 10 to 15 years and that brave young boy has grown up. He is now a brave and industrious young man, out to make his way in life with excellence and enthusiasm. He is about to get on another roller coaster, but this one is for life. In less than two weeks he will be married. In the finally crunch time of wedding preparations I keep asking the same question...honey are you sure you want to ride this ride.

The question has nothing to do with his partner. His bride is a sweet, loving, caring, young woman and they will be a good match. It's just the ickiness of the world, the strain of a career and the combining of two different backgrounds, two different traditions and two different vision about life. It's one of those things and once the train leaves the station there is little to do but close your eyes and go along with the ride. No shoulder bar, no seat belt, but lots excitement and fun and adventures. It's worth holding on, finding more direction and then digging in and riding out the scary parts. It's a wild ride, no doubt about that.

The brave young boy grew up nicely. I am proud of him and his adventurous spirit and I will be cheering for him when he boards this train with a new partner and leaves the station. It's good to feel a sense of a job well done. And there is a tiny place inside of me that is waiting for the day when he stands in line with his very brave young boy or girl and says, "Are you sure you want to ride? Once the train leaves the station, there is no turning back."