On Reality

I think I have discovered something fantastic.

something unprecedented, unrivaled, something phenomenal.

Something stirring.

I came across this discovery over the weekend,

which I spent with some of my favorite people at Cedar Point.

As an acrophobe, I can honestly tell you I was terrified.

Nothing but the fear of falling to my death repeated in my mind as we waited in line.

The thing about cedar point, is not that it's a place for rollercoasters and rides,

no, Cedar Point is THE place for rollercoasters and rides.

Prior to arriving at the park, I verbalized specific instructions to my ride-buddy,

"You need to persuade me, push me, force me onto the rides because I will find a way out."

So you see pictures online, You think you can ride it, you think you can climb 142 feet and slide right down, you're assured you can be launched at 120miles per hour in four seconds.

It's a different story when you're standing beside it.

or when you're waiting in line.

or when you're the next person behind the gate.

or when you're climbing in to your car.

or when you're fastening your seatbelt.

or when your car moves forward and begins the climb.

and all you hear is the clicking of your car as you reach higher and higher.

For one brief moment, you look up and you see everything. Breathtaking, yet not enough to take away from the fact that in a matter or milliseconds, you'll be racing towards the ground.

and before you know it, it's over.

The anticipation. The anxiety. The fear. The ride. It's over and all you can do is smile.

I won't lie, persuasion from my buddy pushed me onto the ride, but I'd be lying if I told you reputation had nothing to do with it. To know that you were 2 seconds away, but backed out at the last second because you were too scared to take the jump, too scared to leap, too scared to trust.

You went all that way for nothing.

Regret.

I find the worst thing in life is regret.

And the best?

Jumping.

There's a scary, daring thing about taking that dive to the unknown. You never know how it'll work out, yet you do it anyways because if nothing else, you went through it, you lived it and you survived. You came out something new.

Front row on the highest coaster at cedar point...

...telling someone the truth, explaining your emotions.

It's all the same thing.

In the end it's all about trust. How much do you trust yourself? How much to you believe in yourself? That's all it really comes down to. Nobody but you. Scary, but exhilarating nonetheless.

take the ride,

you'll be glad you did.