Roller Coasters
Nope, not us. No way. No how. Terrifying. Not going to happen.
Until last week.
Something clicked inside her head, and she decided that she had come to conquer.
There was a pit in my stomach when she first declared she was going to go on Space Mountain. Roller Coasters have never been my thing either.
But, she even decided who was going to sit in front of her and behind her. No getting out of it for me.
She told me that she had been through a lot in her life. And that she shouldn’t be scared of a ride. True. There was that quote by Eleanor Roosevelt we had read, and referred to so many times.
No not the other quote, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – FDR
This one, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
The first time we were both a little scared. Then there was the second time. And by the third time she owned it.
“Rocking Roller Coaster!” she declared.
And so we headed to the Aerosmith ride that wasn’t even on the consideration list a year ago. Twice. I went too. And I really didn’t mind.
“Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone…” Words I am learning to be truer each day.
And so in the week that was, we rode Space Mountain, Aerosmith, Big Thunder Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Test Track and even the Barn Stormer together. I did Star Tours too, but virtual reality isn’t really agreeing with me anymore. Maybe too much reality?
So she went on Mission Space with her Dad – twice. Once on the beginner level, then on the advanced. And they rode Splash Mountain too – just because.
It makes me happy to see her conquering fears. There are so few of them, that I am hopeful nothing like a roller coaster ever stands in her way.
And as I reflected on the idea that this kid, this amazing kid had brought me past a fear that had plagued me for decades, I found myself hopeful that she will always dance…
“Never settle for the path of least resistance… I hope you dance…”
“I Hope You Dance” – Lee Ann Womack
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
