When life has you on a seemingly endless roller coaster
Coined by Erma Bombeck, “If life is like a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits”. (Bombeck, 1978) This was a classic story published in 1978 that had America laughing through life’s challenges. However, if those relate more to Forest Gump, they might hear “If life is like a box of chocolates. (Groom, 1986) You never know what you’re going to get”. I however have coined the phrase, if life is like a rollercoaster, when can I stop spinning and get off?”
Waiting in line at Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio for the scarcest rollercoaster ride of my life anticipating the 95 mile and hour speed and 300 foot drop can be nerve racking. I am reminded of this feeling from my life experience the summer of 2009 when I served my now ex husband with divorce papers. I was hiding in my daughter’s bedroom peaking out the window waiting for my husband to arrive to pick up his things without him knowing that I was in the house. As I waited, I had no idea if I would be discovered when he came into the house. It is this same nervousness that one feels as they wait to get to the head of the line to get onboard the rollercoaster ride. Your palms begin to sweat, your anxiety is heightened and you wonder if you are going to throw up once you are on the ride.
Once I knew my husband arrived he would be served by the sheriff with the summons and petition for divorce and the order for protection documents. As I carefully looked out the window so I would not be noticed, I saw that the sheriff served him with the papers and shortly after that he left. I knew at that moment I would be ok, which is just how I felt when I was first buckled into the seat of the rollercoaster. My anxiety decreased, and the thrill of the ride was the next phase. For anyone that has ridden a rollercoaster, they know that the first part of the ride is the longest, most jerky, elevated, anticipation up the first peak. The anticipation for the thrill of a rollercoaster ride is exactly like my anticipation for what was to come next through the divorce process.
On some rollercoaster rides, there are scary monsters that pop out at the rider and portions of the ride that take the rider backwards. I associated these scares with my experience dealing with the court repeatedly, police investigators, child protection workers, attorney’s, the guardian ad litem, and court orders. If the rollercoaster ride never stopped, the rider would begin to anticipate the next twist and turn of the ride. Life, while in a litigious court battle, will harden the spirit and not allow “normal” life to exists just like a rollercoaster ride that never stops.
Life can be full of ups and downs, just like a rollercoaster ride. It can be filled with happy times, and butterflies around every turn, and sad times like the bottom of the ride when you are about to puke. Over the last eleven years, I have been on the longest rollercoaster ride of my life. Every time I think that the ride is coming to an end, and I can get off, the momentum starts all over again towards the first peak of the ride.
Eventually the rollercoaster ride will be over, then there is an excitement to get back in the line and ride again. Life can be like this, and over the last eleven years, I have gotten on and off the rollercoaster so many times feeling more nauseous each time. Each time I get off the ride, I am relieved that it is over, which builds endurance to get back on the ride to take on the thrill again in a different way. When I am on the rollercoaster ride of life, I have felt disorientated and not myself. However I know that I will get my equilibrium back just as soon as I step off the ride and gain my understanding of the situation.
When life gets you down, and you feel like you’re on a rollercoaster that brings you through ups and downs, just know that you can get off and regroup. I have learned a lot through these last years to never give up and persevere through all the difficulties that life throws at me.
If your someone who is on the rollercoaster ride through Family Court, and you need a friend to go on the ride with you, just reach out HERE and I would love to connect with you and share my tips and strategies for the NEW Courageous and Confident YOU. I promise you wont be scared again! Book a FREE clarity session
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References
Bombeck, E. (1978) If life is like a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits. New York: Fawcett Books
Groom, W. (1986) Forest Gump. New York: Washington Square Press