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Marriage – A Real-World Roller Coaster Ride (Part I)

rollercoaster

My middle son doesn’t like roller coasters.

At least he thought he didn’t.

I had taken my boys to Six Flags to hang out and enjoy the free passes they earned for finishing their reading program for the school year.

My son was excited when he first got the news that we were going.

He was excited when we got in the car and as we made our way to the theme park.

He was excited when we gave the attendant our tickets and walked through the gates.

He felt happy to have officially made it in and was ready to embark on the day’s adventure.

Until we got to the first roller coaster.

Unknowingly, he sat down next to me on a ride that was supposed to be fun and provide a thrill.  Seconds later, my son realized that part of the ride involved a yucky feeling in his stomach and a spinning motion in his head.

He cried out.

He hollered.

He begged me to get him off the ride.

In those moments, he experienced great uncertainty about his decision to get on the ride in the first place.

Sometimes marriage is just like that.

We are excited when we realize that the person we are looking at is the ONE.

We are excited to be engaged and on our way to the magical day.

We are excited to walk down the aisle, exchange rings, vows, and “I do’s.

We’re excited… until we get to that first roller coaster.

Unknowingly and with great innocence and high expectation, we embark on the ride of our life that we anticipate to be full of love, fun, and good times. Yet for many of us, we come to a very different reality of marriage a few years, maybe months, or possibly even a few days later.

We wake up to the fact that there is a part of the marriage ride that involves yucky feelings or a sense of vertigo.

Sometimes we cry out.

Some of us may holler.

Others may even beg to be let off the ride.

In those moments – the moments when

… marriage is hard

… personalities collide

… life circumstances take us for a loop.

We can experience great uncertainties about our decision to get on the ride of marriage in the first place.

Many of us married folks may find ourselves thinking, “Ooops!  Did I marry the wrong person?”

I know I have had such thoughts.

More tomorrow… 

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4 Comments

  1. Oh I love the comparison!! That is so very true!! I’m ready to read the next part!!

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