I was off on another mini adventure this weekend, and this time it was with my favorite mouse. Yes me and the hubs headed to one of our favorite destinations, Disneyland, for the upteenth time. Though we had tons of fun riding my all time faves like Pirates and Big Thunder, it was a different kind of magic that befell me and that inspires me to write this entry.
It all starts with my love of roller coasters. Let’s just say though I can’t get enough of them, they scare me to death. Even though I’ve ridden Matterhorn and Big Thunder Mountain a hundred times, I always get stricken with fear right before I get on. My husband thinks it’s funny that, for example, I always look down when approaching the gigantic mechanical snake in Indiana Jones because I’m too scared to look at it, or that I get so nervous before any ride even though I’ve been on it a thousand times. But here’s what’s so magical about it. I realized that these “rides” were symbolic of CHANGE in my life. Right before I get on, there’s a lot of waiting which leaves time for anticipation. And questions such as, “Can I handle this? What if I don’t like it?” make my palms sweat and my heart beat faster. I start to question whether or not I’m prepared for it. Then, I began to doubt myself. Wouldn’t it be easier, for example, if I just stuck with something safe like, “It’s a Small World”? Sure, it may be a big bore, but at least I know what I’m in for. Yet, though there are enough excuses not to try, there’s only one reason why you should. Because life isn’t supposed to be about predictability and safety. Life is about living. It is hard and it is challenging but it is meant to be fully lived.
And so in the end, I always take the plunge. Although I’m afraid of the challenge, I can’t risk what I’d be missing. And the result? Well it’s a lot like life. You feel the fear and adrenaline as you climb, but when you let go and move with the flow, it produces the most awesome kind of ride. The kind where you feel alive. While I was racing through the dark in sharp turns and unexpected dips, I screamed until my voice was hoarse but I was laughing at the same time, and I realized that this joy I was experiencing was not just the magic of Disney’s Magic Kingdom but that it was also about that magical little gift that we call life.
