Marriage is like a Ferris wheel

Today is Feb. 14, which means it’s a day to celebrate the beautiful thing that sends your heart and your stomach into various states of calm and churning. Yes, it’s Ferris Wheel Day. OK, it’s also Valentine’s Day. Is it a coincidence that Ferris Wheel Day and Valentine’s Day are on the same date? If you’ve ever been in a relationship, you’ll understand that it is not.

The Ferris wheel is named after its inventor, George Washington Gale Ferris who was born on Feb. 14, 1859 and who died when he was just 37. But his invention has thrilled, scared, satisfied and perhaps even scarred thousands of people over the years — much like love and marriage have.

Think about it:

• Ferris wheels take you around in circles, and so do marriages
• Sometimes, you are moving upward, anticipating how great things are going to be when you finally reach the top and can look around as the king of your world.
• That fleeting glimpse of greatness is short-lived, as you are quickly forced,  against your will, into coming back down to earth again.
• Ferris wheels and marriage are cyclical — it’s a constant motion of ups and downs, going round and round, making memories and wishing things were either more like the past or better in the future.

That’s where Ferris wheels and marriages also differ, because while we have little control over the wheel, we do have control over our marital relationships. For example:

• During your downward journey, you can either enjoy the memory you made while at the top or you can waste your time missing it and worrying whether you’ll ever be there again. (Hint: you will be, so stop worrying about it.)
• If you let yourself, you can become bored riding a Ferris wheel. The same goes for marriage. The trick is to enjoy the ride, taking pleasure in every part of the journey around the circle. Remember, it’s an unbroken line (hence, the symbolism of wedding rings). Even if you are moving downward, just hang on and that line will take you around again, where you’ll be able to enjoy the anticipation of the climb and the great feeling of being at the top again.
• You also should not lose sight of your surroundings and enjoy everything you can see during every part of the trip around the circle. Ferris wheel baskets and marriage can seem like a cage in which you are trapped. Or, they can be seen as protective barriers, guarding you from being hurt because they are unwavering in their desire to keep you from falling.
• Ferris wheels and marriages are supposed to be fun. Let go and enjoy yourself. After all, you’re going to be there for a while, so why not make the most of it?

If you’re not married but you’re in a relationship, maybe you’ll find your Ferris wheel soon. Dating is more like a roller coaster: a lot more exciting at times, but also a lot scarier and more dangerous.

Of course, if you’re in between relationships you probably find the whole Valentine’s Day nonsense nauseating. In that case, just remember George Ferris and wish people “Happy Ferris Wheel Day” instead.

Image courtesy of Idle Type via Wikipedia.

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