Personal Narrative: A Roller Coaster Ride

I never thought something as trivial as a roller coaster ride would have any meaningful impact on my life. But, whenever I consider the analogy “life is like a roller coaster,” one particular moment always seems to come to mind. It wasn’t until three years ago when I rode Kingda Ka, the tallest roller coaster in the world, that my perception of the “ups” and “downs” in life changed. Now sit back, buckle up, and hold on tight while I bring you up to speed.

There it is. A single arch of lime green twisted metal, protruding from the earth like a mighty serpent, beckoning me closer. At 456 feet tall, alone in a jungle of metal and concrete, nothing dares to challenge its presence- only skyscrapers soar as high.

“ATTENTION RIDERS” announcements on repeat fill my ears as I watch passengers methodically load and unload. In no time, I find myself anxiously climbing into the front, shaking with excitement and fear, gripping the hard rubber harness with sweaty palms as it lowers over my shoulders. I begin forcing conversation with the stranger sitting next to me, seeking distraction from the terrifying ride ahead as we roll slowly out of the loading dock, triggering low thuds and brake squeals from the track beneath us.

My mouth opens to scream but is instead filled with air as I am propelled to absurd speeds. Locked in place, unable to move, the lengthy track once ahead of me disappears while I become fused with the seat. All saliva evaporates as my screams are drowned in a hurricane of wind. My sides ache from inaudible laughter. Tears streak across my face like rain on a windshield. I am truly