I'm Not a Thrill-Seeker...And That's Okay!

So there I was, at Kings Island. The place where I swore I was never going to go again. Not only was it Kings Island, but it was their "Halloween Haunt". I don't like roller coasters, nor do I like haunted houses. What was I doing there though? Was there a secret part of me that wanted to prove something? I ended up having a good time, as I went through 8 haunted houses. But as I was in line for one of the coasters with my friends (just to hang with them while they get on the dreaded thing, and I jump to the exit line!), they were pressuring me the ENTIRE way:

"Eric, WHY don't you want to ride it? Give me a good reason!"
"Eric, what's the worst that could happen? You arent going to die!"
"Eric, you HAVE to do this to conquer your fears!"
"This is just A KIDDIE ride!"
"(Some random guy in line) My (insert family member here) hated roller coasters, and she rode this one, now she is obsessed with them! Get on it!"
"You just have to try it once! We won't bother you again if you try it and dont like it!"
"When was the last time you have rode one? It's going to be different this time!"

I'm sure you get my point by now, I just needed some time to vent. Instead of having fun with my group, and instead of them just talking about how much they were looking forward to it, or even, talking to me about what I would like to do that night, they just kept pressuring me that I had to ride it, or (blank). Or what? I'm not a man if I dont get on this thing? I'm not living my life to the fullest? I'll regret my life if I don't get strapped down, and jerked around on a death machine? The point is, I'm not a thrill-seeker...and that's okay!

I have so many hobbies, and so many passions. I have so many things I do that is carved into the fabric of my being. I go biking for miles and miles, which some of my other friends can't keep up with me. I'm a beast at racquetball. I love God, and am not ashamed of it. I love a good cheeseburger, or a philly cheesesteak. I have managed to make ping pong not only a sport, but an art. I love hiking.. especially when we go off the beaten path into the creeks. At the YMCA, I take yoga class for an hour, followed by an hour of KICKBOXING (coming from my background in martial arts, where I am a first degree black belt). I play the trumpet, and I LOVE music, especially the classic stuff. I volunteer at the Brighton Center with retirees, and LOVE it. I love ice cream, and watching movies. I'm obsessed with coffee. I wrote a book. I'm a man.

I can say all that stuff, but then when we go to kings island, all of a sudden my manhood is at stake. I get the sense that I have to prove something. I feel embarrased that I don't want to ride this, as 50 people in line are looking at me thinking "look at that chicken!" Then it gets worse. I feel like I'm going to be single forever because I don't want to ride this ride, which translates into I don't grab the bull by the horns, which translates into I'm not wild, and adventurous, which translates into I'm not a man.

The truth of the matter is, I'd rather go to the dentist than ride a roller coaster. Plain and simple. I'm not going to pay 5,000 dollars, and take out a consumer loan, by going to this theme park, and doing stuff I don't want to do. I'll say the same for Euchre too. I'm not going to sit somewhere for 5 hours, getting yelled at by my partner, and getting frustrated that I still dont understand the game. I'd rather go for a run, or have a cup of coffee with a really close friend. That's what I enjoy. The simple things. If that means that I'll never get a girlfriend, because I'm not adventurous enough, than fine. It's their loss.

Do what you love to do. If someone pressures you into doing something you dont want to do, like swim, dance, play badmitton, or ride roller coasters, just say "Nah, that's not really my cup of tea." Period. No need to explain, and then move on. You shouldn't feel pressured, or feel like your manhood is at stake, or that you have to prove something. There are so many more things that define you than your want to ride roller coasters.

God bless!

Eric

Midnight Snack

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with the munchies? I do. Actually I don't even wake up... it's more like before I go to bed (which is sometimes in the wee hours of the night! Shame on college screwing with my sleep schedule!) Anyway, my favorite midnight snack is milk and cookies. For those who know me will attest that I am an avid milk drinker. I like 2%, and whole milk. Cold or warmed up. Yes that's right you heard me correctly. I thought that drinking warm milk would be the cure to get my sleep schedule back on track. Instead it's just another strange quirk I picked up and a great conversation starter.

I find it so eerie though when I walk down the stairs at night. Not another soul is awake. The refrigerator reveals a bright light that you never really notice any other time. I stand around in that kitchen, staring at the window. The crazy part is, I keep thinking I will see some sort of ghost boy or something. I was talking with my friends at college a year or so ago, and they had these intense ghostly encounters. And ever since then, I keep waiting until it happens to me. 

I also find it eerie, that I feel like I'm the only one up on the entire street, maybe even the entire block. I use this time often to pray to God, and just reflect on some things. That's a good time to do that too because nothing else is going on at the moment. Psalm 46:10 says "Be still, and know that I am God". I think it's important to just take some time to literally be still and reflect on how God has control of everything, and the fast, panicky thoughts of life are wasting your energy!

I hope this food-for-thought was helpful! Enjoy this awesome month of October!