Tuesday, December 6, 2011

On This Carousel

Day 6 What made you laugh this year? #reverb11

Despite the peeling paint all along the midway, we answered the carny’s call, and climbed aboard on New Year’s Night. With a jerk, we started circling quickly counterclockwise.

2011 was a colossal carnival carousel spinning beyond control; faster, and faster, revolution after revolution. Sousa military marches shrieking in quickening 4/4 time; the bursting, blaring calliope sending white hot clouds of steam into the night, exploding the bright blue bulbs above us, darkening, sparking earthquakes and hurricanes, and still it spun faster. The strongest among us wrestled with the snapping wires that tethered the horses to the platform, but as hard as we worked, with arms stretched wide, we could not make the ends meet. No one could stop the whirl and there was only one way off. Brave faces on the verge of breakdown finally gave up and were thrown out into the gravel, where surrounding clowns laughed and left with all the brass rings. Avarice and ignorance watched from atop every spinning painted beast.

As I struggled to make my way through the mayhem to the safe center of the circle, I heard my little girls, out on the edge where the speed was greatest. Out on the edge, laughing loud and enjoying the ride.



When the mind worries, it works up a dreadful scenario and forgets how to laugh on the carousel.




Even when the ride is rough, these two make me laugh.

5 comments:

  1. I love love love that photo!

    Yes, children remember how to laugh, as adults, we have to relearn.

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  2. Kids are so good at simply laughing from the sheer joy of whirling around, instead of fearing what might happen or feeling out of control...

    ~Tui

    p.s. Great photo. Really makes me smile!:)

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  3. This is wonderful. I am so grateful to have made it. Your writing as always is magical - and full of many truths. Life really is about the Littles in us all - Bless us on this journey.
    jo

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  4. It's been years since I've ridden a carousel, and your take on it made me second-guess I was reading about one. It's amazing how the adult mindset works, sucking us into worry. The next time I have the opportunity to ride one, I'll remember to laugh and giggle like a kid on a carousel.

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  5. Nothing like a carousel of worry to freeze up laughter. Thank goodness for children and whimsy. The photo of your girls is absolutely lovely!

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