This weekend I went on a journey, it was full of fun and good times and it made me relive moments, memories from my past. The thing is I went so far back that I didn't even realize it until I was there. It's one of those things where you all of a sudden are standing in a spot and it takes you back. It wasn't even on purpose it just kind of happened.
Seventeen years ago, yes, 17, I went on a trip to Magic Mountain with my church/family. The reason I got to go was because my dad drove the bus, I was only 11 at the time. I was a little too young to be in the youth group but old enough to know most of them because of my older sister. It was an exciting time for me because I got to go with the older kids and have fun. I was able to sit on the ride over with the older kids and then when we got to six flags I had to hang out with my parents for a little while, but then they released me.
I was so excited to be going with the older kids, it was a group of 4 of us at the time. Helen, Tony and Natalie I believe, I was the youngest of the group and I had stars in my eyes. The biggest thing is that I was going to get to ride the big rides. Now I will preface this with; this was the first big amusement park I had been to. The ride of the time was Batman, new and top of the line. The lines were long but I didn't care, the rides were thrilling to be on.
How times change, I was the adult on this trip. I wasn't there just for me and to see what rides I could ride, I was just there to go along and enjoy and make sure that no one went to wild. The rides I remember were still there, the Viper was intimidating and scary then, not so much now. I do have to say that the second ride we went on, X2 was the scariest ride I have ever been on and found no need to repeat it. After that ride the rest of them were a walk in the park.
I remember going on the Ninja all those years ago and it was the coolest ride, you could look down and see the water below you and it was spectacular in the eyes of a child. This time I got on the ride, there were no lines and when I got on I found out why, the ride was not smooth. Due to my age I already had a headache from being bounced around on other rides and Ninja made it worse, however I did find the gift shop sold Tylenol. As I sat in the seat preparing for takeoff my mind took me back to my first ride and the excitement of it. That day was unlike any other for me, and there have been times when I have thought of it and all the good memories it held.
I walked the roads, now so much smaller than before, the rides not nearly as scary. I can tell you I thought for years that the pirate ship at Six Flags went all the way around. This time as I rode it across from a child not bigger than my own I wondered what I had been afraid of. It was a magical time then, I saw it through the eyes of a child. The characters were bigger than life and they were everywhere, this time I hardly saw them. I was so excited to spend that day with Tony & Helen that I was crazy enough to ride the water ride. It was cold and wet and I didn't care, this time I was smart enough to stay away. A part of me wishes I could go back, that I could relive that day again, that I could see it through the eyes of a child. The grown up part of me had a blast and stopped only a time or two to reflect on days gone by and replace old memories with new ones. It will never be the same again, when I think of Six Flags I will have more memories, of fast coasters and fearless rides.
I guess it's something we do as we grow up. We place things in our lives that are bigger than reality, they blow up in our minds and we let it run away with it. There are things from when I was younger that still tend to come up, memories that are bigger than life, some are good, some are bad. The memories I made with my friends 17 years ago were wonderful ones, the rides scared me. This time I made new memories with new friends and had nothing to fear. A piece of the past can be laid to rest, knowing that I am not the same, I've been remade.
Seventeen years ago, yes, 17, I went on a trip to Magic Mountain with my church/family. The reason I got to go was because my dad drove the bus, I was only 11 at the time. I was a little too young to be in the youth group but old enough to know most of them because of my older sister. It was an exciting time for me because I got to go with the older kids and have fun. I was able to sit on the ride over with the older kids and then when we got to six flags I had to hang out with my parents for a little while, but then they released me.
I was so excited to be going with the older kids, it was a group of 4 of us at the time. Helen, Tony and Natalie I believe, I was the youngest of the group and I had stars in my eyes. The biggest thing is that I was going to get to ride the big rides. Now I will preface this with; this was the first big amusement park I had been to. The ride of the time was Batman, new and top of the line. The lines were long but I didn't care, the rides were thrilling to be on.
How times change, I was the adult on this trip. I wasn't there just for me and to see what rides I could ride, I was just there to go along and enjoy and make sure that no one went to wild. The rides I remember were still there, the Viper was intimidating and scary then, not so much now. I do have to say that the second ride we went on, X2 was the scariest ride I have ever been on and found no need to repeat it. After that ride the rest of them were a walk in the park.
I remember going on the Ninja all those years ago and it was the coolest ride, you could look down and see the water below you and it was spectacular in the eyes of a child. This time I got on the ride, there were no lines and when I got on I found out why, the ride was not smooth. Due to my age I already had a headache from being bounced around on other rides and Ninja made it worse, however I did find the gift shop sold Tylenol. As I sat in the seat preparing for takeoff my mind took me back to my first ride and the excitement of it. That day was unlike any other for me, and there have been times when I have thought of it and all the good memories it held.
I walked the roads, now so much smaller than before, the rides not nearly as scary. I can tell you I thought for years that the pirate ship at Six Flags went all the way around. This time as I rode it across from a child not bigger than my own I wondered what I had been afraid of. It was a magical time then, I saw it through the eyes of a child. The characters were bigger than life and they were everywhere, this time I hardly saw them. I was so excited to spend that day with Tony & Helen that I was crazy enough to ride the water ride. It was cold and wet and I didn't care, this time I was smart enough to stay away. A part of me wishes I could go back, that I could relive that day again, that I could see it through the eyes of a child. The grown up part of me had a blast and stopped only a time or two to reflect on days gone by and replace old memories with new ones. It will never be the same again, when I think of Six Flags I will have more memories, of fast coasters and fearless rides.
I guess it's something we do as we grow up. We place things in our lives that are bigger than reality, they blow up in our minds and we let it run away with it. There are things from when I was younger that still tend to come up, memories that are bigger than life, some are good, some are bad. The memories I made with my friends 17 years ago were wonderful ones, the rides scared me. This time I made new memories with new friends and had nothing to fear. A piece of the past can be laid to rest, knowing that I am not the same, I've been remade.
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