GOING GODDESS™

written by

Kasmik Zenter 2009

This past Halloween, I visited Six Flags and waited in line for almost two hours to get a ride on the 'Goliath', one of the larger roller coasters in North America. Even in the drizzle and cold weather, I felt warm and prickly inside, excited by the anticipation of the enormous 200 foot climb to the top. Finally, I boarded a car, seated next to a stranger, who was equally charged for the ride. After strapping in, the car jerked into motion and we were on our way. We giggled, huffed, and puffed as we were lifted up the hill, struggling against the pull downward. Once we reached the apex, we threw up our hands, cheering and gloating in our few seconds of glory at the top. Then suddenly, we dropped. Reaching speeds of 70 mph, my face contorted against the wind, twisting, warping, and writhing with every bend, bump, and turn of Goliath. At times, I could hardly breathe, exhilarated by the pain and pleasure of the stress. Time and space were no longer relevant as all I could do was be completely in the now, holding onto life. Soon the car slowed, followed by a series of jolts, then we coasted smoothly back to the station. It took a few minutes to get my bearings, to settle the flutters in my stomach, and to steady my gait, but through it all, I was happy we made it back safely.

I'm inclined to look at life like a roller coaster ride. Your wait inside your mother for nine months is like the wait in line, then the gate opens(you're born) for you to take the ride.

You start life as an uphill struggle, slowly moving your way up, learning to crawl, talk, stand, walk, overcoming all obstacles and defying the pull to keep you down. You achieve, accomplish, and reach great heights, then bask for a few moments before then inevitable downturn. You go through twists and turns, some pleasurable, some painful, more highs and lows, coasting at times and bumping along at others. In the end, you come back to where you started, to the gate which lets you off the ride. So the destination is not important. You already know where you're going to end up in life, right back where you started, so enjoy the ride. Be thrilled about the ups and downs that life is giving you because its all a part of it!