Thursday, January 29, 2009

Rockin' Rollercoasters

I love roller coasters! Really love them. Really, really love them. The faster, the taller, the more loops the better. On a roller coaster I feel weightless and about 10 years old, which makes me think my passion for roller coasters will only grow over time. So, the Disney passes this year are in many ways a greater blessing for me than they are for the kids. Christopher is a budding roller coaster junkie but Andrew doesn't much care for them and Katie is still too short for the best rides. So, when it is just me and the kids at Disney I sigh as we pass the lines for Space Mountain, and Everest and we do our best to find our thrills on the rides for the height-challenged. When Todd is with us, though ....
In October we met friends at Animal Kingdom where the great roller coaster is called Everest. Our friends left early to go to their hotel and left us with 4 fast passes for the Everest ride. Christopher and I, big grins on our faces ran off to the gates as quickly as possible while Todd and the younger kids trudged off to pet the goats at the petting zoo. Within seconds Christopher and I were strapped in and ready for our fix of thrills. We took off, rounded a curve, then another curve and then up, up, up the steep, steep hill until we were about 10 feet from the summit when we stopped.
I wasn't sure at first if this was part of the ride or not, but then I looked down below and noticed that all the other trains had stopped as well. Then the announcement came: "Please remain in your seats (as if we had a choice). The ride will resume shortly." Several long minutes later, the announcement was repeated, and then repeated again. Did I mention yet, that the hill was really steep? For 20 minutes we were hung by our toes on the slopes of Everest while the Disney crew tried to figure out how to fix whatever was broken. I managed to call Todd who was on his way to the exit where we were supposed to be meeting to tell him we were delayed indefinitely. He and the kids joined the growing crowd of spectators gathered, pointing at our train and gasping. Then the next announcement: "Please remain in your seats until our technicians come and evacuate you from the ride." Christopher was close to tears because he realized that we weren't getting to ride on the ride after all and I was only slightly relieved that he was not panicked about being hung by his feet for so long. It must mean that I was hiding my near-hysteria-level panic from him well. Slowly, slowly they emptied the other trains that were stopped at more level points on the ride before finally climbing the steep slope to rescue us. Row by row they released the safety bars and pulled us off the train and had us cling to a railing until we were all liberated.
At this point I must say that, aside from the various Disney attractions, Florida is really, really, flat. It was a clear day and I am pretty sure that we would have been able to see Cuba had not the curveture of the earth gotten in the way. The early evening fireworks above Cinderella's castle were also lovely to see from our vantage point, though we couldn't hear the music. When the last of us were finally rescued we hiked single file up over the summit and then down, through a secret door and then down the stairs getting an unusual backstage tour of the roller coaster. "No pictures!" our rescuers growled at the man in front of me. Back at the entrance to the ride there were Disney cast members handing out, wait for it...fast passes to Everest that were set to expire 2 weeks later! Not a free t-shirt, not a coupon for a free beverage, not even a fast pass that doesn't expire (which would have cost Disney exactly zero cents) but a lousy fast pass which we weren't able to use!
I still love roller coasters and though we have yet to make it back on Everest, I have managed to get few rides in other places. At Disney's Hollywood Studios, the roller coaster is called Rock'n'Roller Coaster and they play Aerosmith through the headrests during the ride. That's not what makes it great, though. Todd joined us one night after work and he agreed again to take the younger kids so Christopher and I could check out the "big kid" ride. Andrew decided at this moment that he was going to get over his fears and join us. I asked him over and over if he was sure, but he was firm. No Little Mermaid show for him, he was going to hang out with the cool kids on the thrill rides. Two seconds into the ride I knew it was a mistake but it was too late. We were strapped in and accelerating to 60 mph through a dark tunnel. So here is the moment that will disqualify me for mother of the year, if I haven't been disqualified many times over already: Andrew is sobbing in terror next to me and I grab hold of his hand but I can't help myself letting out a few shrieks of pure joy because it is REALLY FUN! So sorry Andrew but YIPPPEEEE! It'll be OK Andrew, but WHOOOHOOOOO! The ride is all in the dark with with this eerie glow and it's fast and upside down and really, really fun!
So now, finally, we get to the point of all these musings. Why is it that traveling superfast, in the dark, being spun around and around and upside down, not knowing which way the ride will take you next is really, really fun on a ride, but in life it is really, really not fun? I know on the roller coaster that all will end well. That in a few all-too-short seconds we will pull up to the gate with nothing more than mussed up hair and goofy grins to show for our experience. But isn't life for a Christian much the same. Some day we will pull into the gates of heaven and all will be OK and whatever has happened during this ride of life will not leave me scarred for eternity. Though I can't see them, I know there are tracks and all will be OK, not because God is afraid I will sue him if something goes wrong, but because He loves me and has planned the best ride for me.
I know all this, but I must confess that the ride right now is not very fun. I'd like to take a break and ride on the Dumbo ride for awhile. Gentle ups and downs that I can control with a little lever. But I also know that life is very rarely like Dumbo. I'm on the roller coaster, I can't get off, nor do I really want to mid-ride. I can't control any of it. I can't find a buyer for our apartment in Moscow. I can't find a job for Todd in California. I can't fix the economy which has made our support fall dramatically and weakened our safety nets. How can I embrace the thrills of the roller coaster and cry YIPPPEEEEEE when I feel like crying out OHHH NOOOOO!!!!!