We’ve all heard life described as everything from boxing matches, to rat races.  What image, event, or activity do you use to symbolize life?  I have, until recently, always thought of life like a road trip; with everything from smooth highways to pot-holes, speed-traps to rest stops, and sunny days as well as torrential downpours.  Recently I’ve found that an amusement park also symbolizes life.

Even if you don’t ride roller coasters (for me, the coasters are the best attractions at any amusement park), you have to admit there is nothing quite as fun as a visit to the amusement park.  The smells, the games, the excitement!  As a child, our family would join thousands of others every summer at a local amusement park for a company’s annual picnic.  The night before the outing, my mom would pack a picnic basket with food, fruits, and drinks (no way was she buying that expensive park food), and we’d leave early in the morning, and stay all day.

How is life like an amusement park?  Well first of all, there is a price for admission.  It costs someone something to get you there.  Amusement parks, like life, offer many options and attractions.  Not everything is for everybody.  Some like the thrills of a 90 mph coaster, while others prefer the calm of the Ferris Wheel or Merry-Go-Round.

We get one shot at life, like a day at the park.  Since we have been fortunate enough to be blessed with admission, we should make the most of the opportunity.  Amusement parks have more than rides; there are games, shows, restaurants, and rest areas.  Isn’t that just like life?  During those childhood trips to the amusement park, my sister and I tried to strain every drop of fun we could out of those precious few hours.  We strategized how best to spend our money by only playing the games we thought we had best chances of winning, and riding coasters with the shortest lines.

Just as a fun day at the amusement park must come to an end, so must our lives.  As kids, we had no idea of the time when the park would close, we just knew that it would close.  Isn’t that just like life?  Have you ever left an amusement park regretting that you hadn’t gotten on certain rides, or experienced certain attractions?  Since you are alive, it’s not too late.  You’ve been gifted with admission, so make the most of your life- your day at the park.

Closing time will come, so you want to be sure your time was well spent.