Frustrations on the Roller Coaster

There are going to be frustrations in life.  The question is not: how do I escape?  It is: How can I use this as something positive.
-Dalai Lama ( from Desktop calendar...Andrew McMeel Publishing)

Lately, I have been walking a line between frustration and contentment. It is a funny experience to be so on the line when I have spent years of my life going from one emotional intensity to another. I thought life was supposed to be an up and down roller coaster ride and our job was to "do" whatever we could to go up and to do whatever we could to avoid going down. We looked for the highs and did what ever we could to escape the lows.

Of course, that was a strange approach... in this analogy of  a roller caster . We have no control over the ride, do we?  Some One else is operating the  controls and we...if we are smart...are strapped into our seats.  We are going to hit the inclines and the declines of life whenever the ride determines it. The only choice we have is:  Do we want to spend the entire ride  covering  our eyes and screaming  for it  to be over or do we want to learn to  put our arms up in the air and laugh  in excitement  and joy as each downward drop takes us unexpectedly?

The ride is meant to be an amazing and fun one.  But if we have spent most of our lives to date fear based, for whatever reason...it is going to take some time before we get excited over all the dips and rotations. We need to simply begin by taking our hands off our eyes.

Eventually, if we play this right, the ride will become a smooth one...not because the controller has taken away all challenges but because we stop reacting so much to each down ( or to each up). I may not be screaming in excitement and joy at every downward drop lol but I am not dreading or cringing over each drop either.

 I cannot say that I am completely content  with the challenges of my life nor am I overwhelmed with frustration either. I am no longer trying to escape and get off the ride.  I recognize the potentially frustrating situation that may arise for what it is, sigh, accept it in and try to see the positive in it.  I have a ways to go before I master that and am able to throw my arms up in the air at every curve ball thrown my way but I am getting there.

I also notice that I do not react so much to the things that used to excite me.  In fact, I often wonder why they ever excited me in the first place.  I kind of like the smoothness of the ride I am on right now.

I am indeed riding  on ( wobbling on...still do not have complete balance) this smooth line between frustration and contentment.  I guess this ride is called "peace".  I can live with that. :)

All is well