Monday 11 October 2010

How roller coasters and llamaless people really can help you remain the fabulous babe or dude that you are.

How roller coasters and llamaless people really can help you remain the fabulous  babe or dude that you are.

Our lives are naturally be full of ups and down, the roller coaster a perfect analogy. Perfect in that the people who can ride have those ups and downs.

You head over to have a ride on the roller coaster, it's called "The Ride of Your Life", you are excited to see what heights it can reach and thrills it can give you. You queue for ages, only to realise you aren't "this tall to ride". There are always going to be those of us who can't ride for heart conditions, pregnancy, back problems etc. It's not just you who gets turned away you notice, so you don't feel as bad as you would if you were the only one, while you think everyone else is having fun.

So disappointed you walk away, but while the world and his wife queue for the "Ride of Your Life"
The line for the tea cups, the shooting galleries, the haunted house are all freed up, and you are "just right" to have your own thrills there. When you've had your fun, there is a little park area with ducks and a bench. You find your friends and share similar stories of the rides you've taken and the rejoice in the differences you've experienced. You are glad you are old enough to not throw a tantrum, once upon a time you'd have wailed and moaned "if I can't go on the Ride of Your Life then I'm going home!"
The next day you skip the rides and head to the park to take in nature and peace. You spot your friends and ask "what's happened, why aren't you on the Ride of Your Life?"

They reply, "Because it wasn't as fun as we thought it'd be. We'd like to take a break and spend some time with you, even have a ride on the tea cups before the fair leaves town"
So what I am trying to say babes and dudes, is that although you may feel you don't fit in a "normal" world, there will always be other opportunities open to you, and you can even make those opportunities yourself.
It's not even about compromise, some may see it as having less of a life, you should see it as having a different one, and we all have different lives to one another.

A phrase I hear too often is "at least you are better off than.... Llamaless, Lipless, Legless, Larry-no-legs with a loofer" well maybe not that phrase entirely but you catch my drift!
We shouldn't have to feel grateful because someone else is much worse off, we should be able to say, "You know, I think I may go lend a leg to Larry while lends me his loofer!"
Make your opportunities, rediscover your abilities and celebrate the difference in you life.
Claire Smith