Ticket To Ride

What kind of amusement park goer are you?

Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth. Keep your eyes and heart open until your vehicle comes to a full and complete stop.

I make weird analogies about life. Today it’s an amusement park because it most resembled my life for a long time.

From a distance the park was this glowing, beckoning place of wonder. As I got closer my insides bubbled up, barely able to control the excitement. I hoped it was everything I’d dreamed it would be — thrills, greasy food, and lots of fun.

But once our ticket is forked over the initial sensory overload has a certain “walls closing in” feeling, no?

There’s the noise of course — wild screams, hawkers and pitchy music bouncing off scaled versions of familiar buildings.

Visually, the distractions, uhm, attractions, all tug for attention causing one’s eyeballs to skew and look more funhouse than focused. We feel the urgency to hop on every ride, play every game, experience every side show, eat every battered and fried food. And why not?

We understand that each of us is given exactly ONE TICKET to ride and that park hours are limited. We hustle in constant bumper car mode with strangers. Often herded into corrals like mindless cattle, forging the same goal — get it all in before closing time. So many choices, so little time.

Here’s a question: As a ticket holder how do you navigate your “amusement park”?

1. The Wanderer

You wander the park and wait/look for the “right” attraction.
Doing this not only wastes precious time, but you pass on experiences you should try at least once. The Wanderer is a seeker without a plan. A window shopper.

2. The Jumper

You jump on the first ride you come to, based on fear. 
“SEIZE THE MOMENT” is The Jumper’s motto, which can be a good thing, sometimes. For legitimate reasons, in or out of his control, The Jumper fears this ride may never be available again. There’s not much forethought and the consequences are often mixed.  But remember, although the road is full of many flattened squirrels who couldn’t make a decision, The Jumper creates a different brand of road kill.

3. The Adventurer

You take the ride you want, alone or with others.
The Adventurer shows a bit of The Jumper with the exception of thought-out purpose. Every new opportunity and new introduction is a potential experience to add to the resume and check off the list.

4. The Planner

You map out the park and formulate an attack strategy.
The Planner will get the layout in advance. Methodical by nature, The Planner often gets the to best attractions in the shortest time.

5. The Follower

You are content to to accept the decisions of someone else.
The Follower makes no decisions on their own behalf. Quietly there may be some grumbling or complaining but the blame of not getting on the ride or play the game of choice rests on The Follower.

As you leave the park after the fireworks, a belly full of junk food, loaded down with souvenirs you have a smile of contentment across your face. You should right? Memories of the amusement park – the sights, the sounds, the fun — and the people you’ve shared them with carry you home like a giddy sleepy child.

I want to leave my amusement park feeling that this was the greatest show on earth. You?

BE F-G AWESOME TODAY!

Original graphic and quote: Stephanie DelTorchio