What's the Cedar Point?

October 2026

They say, once again I'm never really certain who "they" are, that life is like a rollercoaster. I guess that is because life is full of twists and turns and highs and lows. Occasionally, you're even upside down. Well, I am having one of the dips in the track today.

It's a “So this is all there is?”, kind of day. You know, the ones where you look life square in the face and say, “Is this it?”.  I would hazard a guess that you know what I am talking about.  But if not, let me try to explain; It’s that emotional emptiness that pops up when you get stuck in a dull routine, and can only see yourself caught in the endless repetition of doing the same old things. Now, I’ve had days like this off and on for many years, so it’s not just an old man thing. Regardless, today it has made me ponder.

To be clear, I am not suffering from any grief or despair. I am just feeling a bit psychologically heavy. I seem to have lost my spark and find it hard to get excited about anything. Let’s just say I’m lethargic. My daughter likes to call the feeling "Ennui". Too bad my high school French was 45 years ago.

Thankfully, when I get like this, it is infrequent and generally fleeting. I am quickly back to normal after taking a walk in the sunshine, eating some spicy Thai food, or getting a good night’s sleep. But because these instances are few and far between for me, I like to overthink them, which I tend to do about a lot of things. I’m not content just letting them pass.

That’s because I’m not generally content with anything.  I’m always trying to accomplish something. So, when I have idle time, I feel like I’m not doing my job. I’m retired now so I don’t really have an occupation, but still, I need to feel like I am getting something done. I call it “being busy keeping busy”.  My daughter hates that mindset. I think my wife does too. But it keeps my mind occupied and makes me feel like I am adding value to the world.  Relevant or otherwise.

I’ve never been one to look back on the past to try to find reasons for things. I generally prefer to look forward, seeking solutions. But today, when I was melancholy about the status of my life, instead of looking ahead, I decided to reflect on my existence. Why would I feel down in the dumps? So, after way too much thinking, which is normal for me, here is where I landed.

I am now at an age where my bucket list is down near the bottom, and I have filled that container up over and over again throughout my life. I have exceeded my own expectations of what I wanted to see, do, feel, and accomplish. And let me tell you, I have so much to be thankful for. Way too many things to list. So, when I think, “Is this all!?”, I can only come to one conclusion.  If this is all there is, it’s been a pretty damn good run.

So, I contend that life is not like a rollercoaster ride. It is more like a visit to a huge amusement park.  Once you get off one ride you go and stand in line and get ready to take another one. The thing about life is, you don’t always know what you are waiting in line to ride, or how long the line will take.  Sometimes when you are in this queue, waiting for the next thing, is when the lethargy strikes. It’s a time of transition or reflection. A pause before you once again move forward toward the next ride.

The good news is, as you grow older and wiser, you don’t always need metaphorical rollercoasters to invigorate you. Seeing others enjoy the rides they are on becomes a bigger part of the joy of living. So, spending time and energy trying to continue filling your bucket list with exciting travel or life experiences becomes a bit of a waste of time. You may even find that you are quite comfortable doing very little. Regardless, the act of looking ahead and the realization that you have fewer goals and aspirations, and you’re ok with that, may actually be what is making you sad.   

The message in this ponder is simple.  Don’t overthink life. Focus on the here and now and seek the joys of the moment. Pondering what might have been, what you should be doing, or even what you might want to do, is the curse of humanity.  When building a bucket list becomes a bucket list item, you just might be on the wrong path. The best place to find joy might be right there inside your own boring, daily routine.  Through moments of simply living. You don’t need to look far away, or in the future, to find them.

In life, there is a time and a place for rollercoasters and amusement parks. Symbolic or otherwise. But the ride home can be fun too. Maybe keeping busy or keeping from being too busy are both just fine. And what’s wrong with being sad once in a while to remind you of that?