Carnival

On a whim, we stopped at a parking lot carnival. They can be a lot of fun as long as you don’t think too much about it. So we threw caution to the wind and placed our safety in the hands of moderately questionable strangers.

I ate my first fried Twinkie, and it was amazing. Who wouldn’t love a Twinkie battered in funnel cake and coated in chocolate syrup and powdered sugar? When the Twinkie gets hot, the cream filling melts into the sponge cake. It was delicious, and it caused immediately onset drowsiness.

They had contraptions designed to sling, swing, and spin your body until you feel like you are going to puke. Then push you to where puking seems to be an improvement. Between the food and several of the rides, I shortened my life span that night.

I also remember standing in lines. They weren't bad in the beginning. They seemed shorter and we were with friends. The night was fun but as it wore on and the Twinkie settled, I became a bit agitated about waiting for rides.

Looking back, nothing about those lines changed. The only thing that had shifted was my feelings. Sometimes I want to blame the line, the traffic, or the other person. Most often, only my mind is the obstacle. I may want to be annoyed or frustrated with those situations, those things. But they aren’t the thing, my mind is the thing.

Is my mindset the only thing influencing my feelings? Can I pause to let the experience not be affected by my mood? Do I use my mind to find happiness instead of being in my own way?

Be curious, be kind, be whole, do good things.