The Roller Coaster

As a child, I had plenty of phobias. One of my biggest involved roller coasters. It's not that I've fallen off a roller coaster before, but I'd heard too many stories about various people who placed their lives at risk on roller coasters that plunged them to death. I projected roller coasters in my mind as dangerous, mechanical murderers and therefore, I swore that I'd never ride one for as long as I live.

But that changed.

When I was 14, I went to Genting Highlands with a couple of friends and one of them, Becca, gushed that she couldn't wait to take a thrill on the roller coasters there. Instinctively, I said, "No way am I getting on one." But she forced me to. I was practically shivering from head to toe as we stood in line for the roller coaster. It wasn't a corkscrew; just a basic one with no loops. I know that looped roller coasters are alot more thrilling, but for a first timer like me, a basic one was enough to freak me out. I was still reluctant to get on it and Becca had to practically drag me into the seat beside her because I was really facing a panic attack. I pictured my life flashing before me, and my palms were getting sweaty that I could barely grip the huge metal bar placed in front of me for safety purposes. Nevertheless, I did not chicken out and run down the stairs (although I desperately wanted to). I told myself that it was time to face my fear. And... that God would protect me.

Before I knew it, we were shooting off down the track at mega-high speed. After a couple of seconds, I realized that my heart wasn't beating so quickly anymore and I could actually breathe normally. I began to enjoy the ride. It was a very bumpy one, but not the least bit scary. Pretty soon, I was laughing along with Becca while the old auntie in front of me was shrieking her head off. I mean, seriously! There was nothing to yell about. I felt secure in my seat. We weren't being tossed into the air or anything. But that old lady was screaming as though there was no tomorrow. I couldn't hear half of what Becca was telling me because the old lady's screams drowned out everything else, including the rush of the roller coaster as we raced down the track. I don't know if she was just screaming for the heck of it or because she was actually scared, but I made a mental note to myself that I would NEVER scream the way she did because... it's just embarrassing =p

But that one ride really changed my whole perspective on roller coasters. That day itself, Becca and I went on the roller coaster three times. In fact, I was the one who pleaded her to ride it with me. She wanted to try out some other "Motion Man" ride downstairs, which is basically a very boring stimulator, but she gave the idea up when I pulled her into the queue for the same roller coaster. Haha.

Well, that didn't just change my perspective on roller coasters. Along the way, it changed my perspective on life. Sometimes, we gotta take risks in order to overcome something, or to reach success. Risks never guarantee a positive outcome because they're called risks for a reason. Sometimes, we just need to take a plunge and get out of our comfort zones. For my case when I rode the roller coaster, the metal bar reassured my safety. I knew that if the roller coaster jerked badly on one side, I could hold on to the metal bar and remain safely seated. However, in life, there isn't a visible "metal bar" that I can hold on to when things get rough and bumpy. Nevertheless, there is something greater than the metal bar and that thing is pure and simple faith. Knowing that God is always there to catch you when you fall, and He will never leave you when things get rough.

So it's completely okay to take risks once in a while, because if we don't, life would be so dull and we'll never be able to move on. Like, if I'd chosen not to get on that roller coaster with Becca, I'd still have a negative mindset about roller coasters until today. I would be missing out on the thrill and excitement of riding a roller coaster! Most often than not, we're afraid that risks will ruin the way our lives are. But that isn't exactly true, because when God tells you to get out of your comfort zone, He will look after you.You just need to trust Him and let Him be that "metal bar" that you can hold on to when things get rough. No matter what happens, His grace will be enough to sustain you throughout your journey. =)