Tuesday, July 1, 2014

The Greatest of Fears: Rollercoasters




"Always do what you are afraid to do." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Now that is quite a statement on facing your fears. A most recent conversation with  friends pertained to scaling the greatest of fears, roller coasters. I bypassed roller coasters and ferris wheels throughout my childhood for fear of heights. It wasn't until I was eighteen when I was coaxed into fighting that fear, or lest be humiliated by my friends and forever be known as a wimp. The things we do to maintain our manhood.
Later on in life, it was my very own brothers who had coaxed me into fighting another fear of roller coasters, the rides where you get flipped upside down while harnessed in a seat with your feet dangling in mid-air. Nevertheless, I went ahead and conquered yet that fear. After awhile it just gets easier to be talked into trying an amusement park ride to fight those fears. And it also appears easier when you get older to say, "No, I'm not an idiot and I'm not letting you talk me into trying that ride."

 If you want to appear tough, yes, you have to do what you are afraid to do.

 One of my favorite Everybody Loves Raymond episodes is titled "Pet the Bunny". An episode where Raymond fondly remembers as an eight year-old catching his tough dad Frank petting his son's rabbit. Frank denies it ever happened so he won't lose his image as being a tough guy.

 If you do decline to ride a roller coaster or ferris wheel, remember, you won't lose your image as who you are. You will not lose your manhood or womanhood.

 As a kid, I remember sitting on a park bench at an amusement park waiting for my dad and sister to be rescued from a ferris wheel that got stuck. Yep, they were stuck atop that ride for over an hour. All I could do was sit there and chuckle saying, "Better you than me!"

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

But when it comes to riding roller coasters, I think it's okay to fore go that fear and just pick another fear to conquer. Hmm, how 'bout skydiving?



 

  





 


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