Rick Rocks ~ Cause He Rides the Roller Coasters With Me

... and I'm not talking about the thrill ride ones. I'm talking about the roller coaster of life.

When we are plummeting down that steep incline and the g-force is lifting us out of our seats, completely out of control ...

When we are flipping upside down in the unexpected set of spiraling turns ...

When we come out of that and are thrust into the dark hole when we aren't sure when we'll see the light again ...

When the coaster is jostling us around so hard and fast that we are banging our heads against the restraints holding us in ...

And when we come to a screeching halt, not sure where we have just been ...

... I look over and there he is, just as winded and beaten and exhausted and scared and thrilled as I am. And, he smiles and says, "Do you want to do it again?"

This life is a constant roller coaster of twists, turns, plummets and the occasional slow inclines (when you can take a breath). It happens in marriage, jobs, parenting, friendships, hobbies, extended family and the like.

I wouldn't want to ride a roller coaster by myself. I'd be too scared.

I'm so glad Rick rides them with me. He makes me feel safe and that we will make it out alive, and maybe even smiling, exhilarated and excited for the next ride.

Grandma: You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.
Gil: Oh?
Grandma: Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!
Gil: What a great story.
Grandma: I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.
{Scene from Parenthood, the movie}

Rick Rocks ~ Because he's my roller coaster riding partner on this Roller Coaster of Life.