The Roller Coaster Ride of Life
By Bill Cottringer for Al Siedlecki

Up and down and all around;
Down and up, back again.
Never a smooth or easy ride;
Life’s sudden emotions
Are a roller coaster ride.
Getting motion sick
From the ups and downs;
Birth and joy,
Death and distress,
Pleasure and pain
But no apparent gain.
Oh what a damn mess!
Hard to not lose hope
That the good and bad
Really do balance out
At the very end;
Just better to enjoy the joy
In the enjoyment you have
While it lingers and lasts,
Savoring every last moment,
Knowing very well
It won’t last forever,
But will return instead.
The joyful secret is always—
When?
Probably soon or maybe not.