The turns you don't see coming

Have you ever ridden a roller coaster in the dark? A long time ago, wife Karrie and I had the privilege of going to California with a friend and visiting Disneyland. Space Mountain is a roller coaster in the dark and it was maybe the best ride I have ever been on.

Maybe it was the very long line we had to stand in or just the anticipation build-up, but it was a very fun ride. What I remember most is sometimes you did not know which way you were going to turn next — could be right, could be left, and could be a sharp upturn or a quick drop. You just could not prepare for what was next.

The ride was exhilarating, and I still smile about it and rate all other rides based on Space Mountain. Over the weekend, while most of you were out splashing in the water, jumping off rocks and buying goodies in the park, I was reflecting on how someone’s life can be like that roller coaster in the dark. For some that mysterious unknown turn can be a death of a loved one, a breakup, a poor decision or just life in general. For me, it was an out-of-the-blue sickness.

First, I am a thousand times better now and I can do a lot of things that I could not just a few years ago, but there are still some underlying effects that will always be there. One that clung to me over the weekend was my heat intolerance. Somehow, my temperature regulator just doesn’t work anymore. Once I get cold, I stay cold for a long time, and in the summer it doesn’t take long out in the summer heat before my internal temperature rises with the mercury in the thermometer and I get a high fever that pushes dangerous levels. I just can’t be outside in the heat.

I loved the water, I love being outside with family and friends. Heck, I was a firefighter (a job I loved) and heat tolerance was part of that game. My sickness took my life on a right turn when I was leaning to the left. Things changed. So now when family is out playing in the summertime events, I must find a way to stay cool. That means staying inside most of the time. I never saw my life going this direction, but here we are.

I am not writing this looking for sympathy. I just looked at my life and others around me and saw that we do not always end up where we saw ourselves going. Life can throw us a curve ball and we swing and miss. I know there are hurting people out there in the Coulee and all over the world, sitting there wondering how they got to this point in the game of life. Some thinking that they would do anything to go back, hit the reset button or just erase everything and try again. I have felt the same, but something came to me at the end of this weekend.

I was reminded that even when everyone else around you seems to be going forward without you, you are not really alone. There were a few people riding with you on that roller coaster when it took that left turn and threw you violently into the side of your life. Your family, your close friends and, of course, God, were all with you during the ups and the downs of your crazy events that have changed you forever. They will continue to be, too. Caring and helping and loving on you. Cling to that. Things will be OK. I found a little bit of pleasure sitting inside the cool home and under the shaded umbrella on a good friend’s porch. Thank you. You can find that too, whatever your change of direction was.

For those of you that don’t have any idea what this column is about, well, I hope you never have to find out what I am talking about. But if your life does take a dramatic turn off the tracks, relax; it happens. Look in the seat beside you. There are others taking the ride with you.