The Amusement Park of Life

You do not have to imagine the rides in the amusement park of life. But, you do not have a choice. While here, sometimes you will have to ride the scariest of roller coasters. Sometimes, you will enjoy the merry go rounds merrily.

Your parents had bought you the entrance ticket. When you got in, the sheer excitement of what lay ahead was palpable. You grabbed one of those maps of the park and tried to figure out what you would prefer to enjoy here first and the most. The school of life gave you some idea.

Remember when you went to the ride you wanted to experience but were told you did not measure up to the required height? However, the kid standing next to you in the line could go because they were a bit taller than you despite being of the same age. And that was not the only time you were denied the ride for no fault of yours. Some folks who could get in had started crying and kicked up a row. Some decided to protest against discrimination, while others stood on the side and just watched the commotion.

Are you glad, though, that you got some time for those selfies to enjoy later remembering the fun you had in your life?

Oh! And who can forget the huge jerky roller coaster that you had to go on because your siblings and friends could not have left you alone while they went on it! The clattering noise, the bumpy track, and the seats that seemed to be loose made the ride seem never-ending. When you did get off, the pain in the back forced you to sit down for a break.

Now when it was getting late in the afternoon of life, you realized you had not got to the ones that you had wanted to ride on the most. Time seemed to be running out. So, to make the most out of it, you decide to compromise with yourself and get to the rides you can make before it gets too late.

You had diligently figured out the location of the huge pirate ship swing. But when you went there, the attendant there told you that the entrance ticket did not include that ride!

Towards the end of the day of life, everyone in the park seemed tired. But, on the other hand, some were excited to have had the time of their life. Maybe they were better prepared than you were. Maybe they just happened to be luckier! Life seems so discriminating.

While enjoying the fun and trying to make the most of it, we did not realize that we had come to the park only for a small duration. Eventually, we all will need to go back home. The night was approaching fast. The smart ones who understood this reality of life had planned their best exit from the park. They did not seem worried about the way in the dark on the ride back home. However, those who did not have a plan suddenly realized that they did not know the way back home in the dark. The fear of the unknown made them cling and hold on to whatever possible to avoid getting pushed out of the gates.

But the park has to close its gates. So we will all need to go back home. If you had not come to the park prepared in advance, it would behoove you to spend some time planning for the way back.

Those, like the enlightened yogis, who are entrusted with the park’s upkeep, come to ensure that the others can have a good time. Otherwise, almost everyone else comes to this park to enjoy. The YOLO believers might enjoy the most, but they are also the ones who might end up being unprepared for the way back home. Yes, some fall and get hurt and therefore are forced to either leave the park before the stipulated day is over or sit on the side helplessly and watch the others enjoy. Few were content regardless as they knew it did not matter if they enjoyed it because it was just a day in the park! They know that their stay back home is endless, and that is what matters more.