Soul Food Revolution

I love roller coasters! One day my family and I are going to travel America in search of the coolest roller coasters to ride. We’ve been on many of them but I know there are many, many more to conquer! And conquer we will! I also love the water. I’m hoping for the day I can talk my wife in to moving closer to the ocean. I want to learn to surf. I love fishing and want to deep sea fish. Once when I was in Port Aransas, Tx I watched some guys fishing. Looked pretty awesome indeed. In the mean time I ride the surf and roller coasters everyday in my mind. Lots of fun. You should give it a shot.

I bring up roller coasters and rafts because they are great symbolisms for life. My favorite roller coasters are either the double and triple looped ones or the ones that go unbelievably fast then shoot you straight up and stop. I was riding this type of coaster once and decided I really wanted a thrill….so I took the very FRONT seat. Talk about a feeling of no control! That thing was doing at least 300 hundred miles an hour (it seemed like it) and shot us up toward the sky. You see the difference on this type of ride between the front seat and middle seats is simple: in the front seats, when they shoot you toward the sun, you just happen to notice that……THERE ISN’T ANY MORE TRACK FOR THE COASTER TO STAY ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then, on a half dime, you stop…….staring at the sun. Can somebody tell me what genius thought of that long, awkward, scary pause that crazy ride does at the top of that huge metal track!? You sit there and wait…..wait…..wait….. oh I forgot to mention that this particular ride does the whole thing…again……BACKWARDS! That’s what I’m talking about! 500 million miles an hour backwards! WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO! Contrast that adrenaline pumping, head pounding, eye ball popping rush with this: Soft breeze blowing, soft sand all around, deep blue water as far as the eye can see. You hop on your lounge raft and drift into the ocean. Everybody now, “Sittin on the dock of the bay. Watching the tide…….” You got it. Martini in hand enjoying the sun and life. Are you there yet?

I love to talk about roller coasters and rafts because that’s what life is. One day it’s a rush of emergencies and headaches and the next is a gift of grand-baby’s and Christmas with the family. Life can be an upside down car wreck one minute and the very next offer you a dinner bill paid in full. Life can be a song of romance and evenings of candle light then turn on a dime and give you sudden experience of loss and pain. A friend the other day reminded me about life. The text read: Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we handle what happens to us. I actually want to take that a step further and make it simple. Life is 100% how we handle what we are given. Period. Like the old saying goes, I can take lemons and make a really good glass of sweet lemonade. The raft in the ocean is how everyday should be. Whether hardship or success we must learn how to rest in the rhythm of life regardless. This is why I love roller coasters. It teaches me to rest and relax even when my heart is pumping and my head feels like it’s going to explode. Funny thing is for those that don’t learn to rest, relax and enjoy life overwhelms them. Every emotion in their body and soul drastically shifts on any given moment. For those that have mastered the art of resting and relaxing regardless, well, they simply enjoy life. Nothing consumes them. Nothing overwhelms them. Life is what it is and all we can do is sit back, relax, enjoy the sun and drift with the tide. Oh a storm may come but we can weather it as long as we stay calm. Double loops and backwards thrills may attack but they’re nothing when we know what our life is about.

Friends, enjoy this ride. It’s a process that gets better everyday. It’s a ride that isn’t meant to be watched but to be lived! Even though the people and things around you may be swirling like a tornado don’t allow it to consume you. Be strong. Be courageous and soak up the sun.

Enjoy!

Mitch