The Smiles Get Wider…

Right after Christmas, I went with Noah, my son, to Holiday in the Park at Six Flags. We had a great time, but we froze our “youknowwhats”.

 

Standing in lines is not my idea of fun and if you add cold, windy weather on top of that, I go negative on the “fun-o-meter”.

 

But its always fun to watch people and I noticed something odd when we were standing in line for the La Vibora ride.

 

The smiles get bigger the closer you are to the front of the line.

 

Duh.

 

I guess that’s to be expected, but if you think about it, that is the opposite of what should be happening.

 

If you think about it, the longer you’re in the line, the more unhappy you should be and those at the front of the lines at Six Flags have been in those lines longer than the folks that just walked up to the line.

 

Obviously there is something that has to be changing the scowls and frowns to smiles.

 

Well, we know what it is. We’ve all experienced it…its the fact that we don’t have to stand in the line any longer…

 

I don’t think so.

 

Its the “ride”.

 

The closer you get to the ride, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been standing in line, you are ready. You’re anxious about the ride and how much fun it will be. When they finally let your group through, you’re smiling even wider and can’t wait to get buckled in.

 

And just when you thought your smile couldn’t get any bigger…the ride is done. You’re back at the beginning of the ride and you’re smiling from ear to ear.

 

So what does this have to do with anything?

 

Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it doesn’t. Maybe it is what it is.

 

(Did you think I would let this one go without a correlation?)

 

As people get older, I’ve noticed they frown more often. They look more worn out…they’ve been standing in the line for a long time.

 

There are very few people that I have seen or heard of that actually look forward with anticipation to their final “ride”.

 

I know I don’t.

 

I want to go to heaven, but not yet.

 

My grandmother told me one time, “Eric, sometimes you just get tired. That’s when you know you’re ready to go.”

 

(Crud, I’m in trouble. I feel tired all of the time.)

 

But there are few people that smile even wider as they get closer to the “ride”.

 

I know these are the same people that are going to enjoy the “ride” even more than the wait.