UGA Alumni Association opened up Six Flags Friday night for students, faculty, alumni and guests. Although Atlanta's traffic precluded us from getting there until 2 hrs. after the park opened, my three guests and I spent four hours racing from roller coaster to roller coaster, seeking the next big adrenaline rush.
One of my guests was 8. It's funny because as we grow up, we tend to forget how 8-year-olds view the world. While we saw excitement and adventure in each of the thrill rides, he viewed them as scary obstacles that he was not quite ready to face. I have to give him credit though. He waited in the long lines with us, all the while contemplating his choice and giving a tremendous amount of thought to whether he would be able to at last face his fears and ride the upside-down loopty loops.
He decided to that the big roller coasters were just too much, so the smaller, tamer wooden ones would be a better springboard. After standing in line for 2 hours to ride the Goliath, we raced over to The Great American Scream Machine in the hopes of getting him his first roller coaster experience. Unfortunately, the person working the ride had notions other than letting us on the last car of the day.
So, long story short, this amazing young kid didn't have the opportunity to ride his first coaster because the attendant was having a bad day. The attendant wanted to go home and was adamant that the ride was CLOSED. Granted, it was 2 or 3 minutes after the chain was put across the entrance to the ride. We did get there just after the cut-off. But, other people were waiting and there was one more car set to make the final run.
The 8-year-old waited. Again, patiently. Finally ready to face his fears and see this roller coaster head-on. But, the attendant would have none of it. He was not moved by our pleas or the boy's tear-streaked face. How do you, as an adult, explain to an 8-year-old that he can't do what took him all night to get up the courage to do because one person wants to maintain a full-on power trip? How do you, as an adult, explain to an 8-year-old the complexity of power struggles and unkind deeds when all he sees is the world through untainted eyes?
We tried. And, in some ways, I think he understood. Even though the attendant was rude and the expletives muttered under his breath unacceptable (especially in front of the kids), I fully believe in karma and KNOW that it is a circular chain of events. What goes around comes around - or so the saying goes.
In that moment, one of those life lessons occurred that both parties learned from. Sometimes, when rules are concerned, it is better to consider the OVERALL PICTURE and make a decision based on the impact a POSITIVE ACTION will have. This is how we explained the situation to him. And, in his 8-year-old wisdom, he just nodded and realized that the attendant had made a poor judgement call.
We were able to get on one more ride - Monster Plantation - before leaving the park. And, interestingly enough, the two women working that ride, whom had also been there the entire day, greeted us with pleasantries and smiles. "Those women," the 8-year-old commented, "were really nice. That's how you should treat people!"
The lesson I think we all need to be reminded of is simple. It's so much easier to be positive, to be kind, and to live a life of love and compassion than one of negativity and unkind deeds. As far as the roller coaster scenario, it would have taken half the energy for the attendant to let the young boy ride on the last car of the day than expel the negativity and arguments. After all, the car went. In the whole scheme of things, what harm would it have done to let one 8-year-old ride and conquer his fear?
We can all learn a lot from our kids. Take the time to view the world through their eyes. Simplicity. Compassion. Forgiveness. All seem to come easy for them. They should come easy to us as well.
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