So, the other day we were at Six Flags, Great America, on vacation, right? We were standing in line, as is so often the case at these giant amusement parks. To most people (and to be honest, to me as well, most of the time) this is simply a time to space out, listen to the children complain, feel hot and sticky, and bump into another 500 or so people who are spaced out, complainy, and hot and sticky - not your typical "I want to spend how much money to do that" kind of time. But I sort of like to people watch - to pay attention - to "notice" stuff, and this time I was applying this idea to the line, so sometimes I am a freak, I know.
So, there I was, in line for bumper cars - or as they call it at Great America, Rue Le Dodge - not sure the significance of that, but doesn't really matter to the post. I like to people watch at bumper cars - I think some of people's true nature comes out - you see the most timid person flying around like a maniac - it's really cool!
So, as the cars start up I see this guy. I had walked past him a couple of times in the back and forth of the line. He was thin, with long hair in a pony tail and drk complected. Now, I kind of figured he was a tough guy with that long hair and all, and that he would be out to get some unsuspecting people in their little yellow bumper car, out for a nice drive. But, to my astonishment, he was simply driving around, away from the other cars, in a little circle all his own. He was kind of swaggering with his head, enjoying his personal space. When some other car would come his way, he would gingerly dodge them (maybe that's where the name came from?), laughing at their inability to penetrate his Sunday afternoon Rue Le Dodge leisure ride. It was almost surreal to me, because I love to smash people in bumper cars - I think I could probably grade the degree of neck snap I get when I hit people if I thought about it long enough! But this long haired, pony tail wearing dude wanted nothing to do with it! Didn't he realize that that is the point? It is not the Great American Raceway - the one with the stinky old cars that you drive around a track guided by a post under the car at about 2miles per hour, where you are not allowed to bump the car in front of you, or even think about it because the workers on that ride can read your thoughts and you will be expelled from the park if you bump the car ahead of you...woa, I kind of got carried away there a little bit, sorry. The idea is, in bumper cars you are supposed to thrash people - you are suppposed to BUMP them! And, as near as I could see, this guy went the whole ride without a single bump, not one collision, no smashes, no crashes, nothing. He ended the ride with that silly smirk still on his face. I couldn't decide if I wanted to run up to him and tell him it was safe to hit the other cars, that maybe he didn't understand, or I wanted to throw him back into his car, put on his safety straps and thrash him myself...oops there I go again - this ride brings out the best in me!!
So, here's what I think. Way too many people live lives trapped in the circle of avoiding anything of significance. They think the ride is all about just making it through without any "bumps." They go about their lives avoiding anything of with any power, never to face up to the passions of life. The thing about real life is this: it always has bumps - everybody gets nailed. No one is exempt. Tomorrow will be another day at my office of helping people through the unexpected "bumps" of life (and this lighthearted writing is not meant to minimize them at all, by the way). The thing is we must not go around our lives living trying to avoid all bumps - life's greatest joys are found when we are willing to let go of the things that seem to be safe and reach out into the unknown. There is something in all of us that screams that there is something more than just the day to day, bumpless life we are leading. We find that in the pain of the bumps (and especially on the back side of them) is often the creativity and wonder of life.
If you find yourself circling life safely - if you find that it is just not all that you thought it might be - that there must be More - please join us Thursday night at McAllister Center - 20th and Schuyler Ave, Lafayette - 6:45-8:00PM.
Hope to see you there!
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4 comments:
so, I'm like the guy who never wants to get bumped . . . life, for me, shouldn't ever be taken too seriously and, when times get tough, I need to make a joke of something just to laugh off the heaviness.
some days, it is all I can do just to exist. on those days, I can hardly notice anything "more" in a day.
thanks for writing . . . keep it up; not everyone can express what they're feeling so eloquently. Man, I can hardly identify the feeling.
Thanks for the comment and the honesty.
It's one of the things we face head on in More than more is the pain of life, the need to not take it too seriously, and the joy that can be with us in life if we shift our focus intentionally toward God.
There is no question though that sometimes it's easier to laugh it off, make a joke and never fly into the craziness that is life with all the vigor of a 5 yr old hopped up on caffeine and chocolate, it is not the best to feel like you always must avoid being bumped.
The problem is that sometimes we just don't have it in us to break out of ourselves and do what we need to do.
Emily, my oldest, has a really hard time meeting people. She just gets really nervous and shy and self-conscious. When she wants to meet someone, or knows she should, you know what she does? She comes over, grabs my arm, sometimes even hides behind me for a little, we walk over together, and then slowly gets up the courage and says, "Hi." She doesn't yet have it in her - so she lets me strengthen her and show her the way, encourage her and guide her.
This is how the "bumping when it's not natural" business works. You may never find the strength or rationalize and convince yourself that you can do it, but you can go and talk to God about it - simple conversations with Him go like, "Please help me to be willing to let go of my usual ways and patterns today and instead go for whatever adventure you have for me," put the bumper car in God's hands and the adventure of bumper cars can slowly become what it was meant to be.
Hope this helps - I will talk to God about you today.
I'm the one that never goes on the bumper cars. I HATE them! Wonder what that says about me? LOL.
So, I think this is a good time for a story. What kinds of trauma can a person find on the bumper cars that can lead them to detest them and avoid them at all costs?
Well, let me tell you about my mom. She is a wonderful woman, who loves very much. But, something that she does not keep as a secret is that she wears a wig. Hair that will just not cooperate with her at some point became too much of a frustration for her. I always grew up with her taking off her hair every night at bedtime. It was all I knew and made no difference to me what she looked like at bedtime or any other time.
Well, the story goes that one day my mom was riding on the bumper cars,was struck firmly from behind and, yes, you guessed it, off came the hair! Flying across the floor of the ride like a possum scared up from its playing dead, there is no question that it traumatized certain children present on the ride,not to mention my poor sweet mom!
So, what does it say about you? Are you the long lost person who ran into my mom and separated her from her hair?
Seriously though, thanks for the post Lisa!
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