A Sunny Day on the Lighthouse Ride

We spent a bright, clear Sunday in mid-October at an amusement park. The weather was perfect—deep blue skies, warm enough that the kids were all in shorts and t-shirts.

They found a ride they wanted to go on repeatedly. It was a small drop tower made to look like a red-and-white striped lighthouse, with Sylvester the Cat hanging out on the front of the car and Tweety Bird up top.

I stood on the ground and watched them go up and down. The ride would hoist the group high into the air, their feet dangling against the sky, and then drop them. Over and over. Judging by the expressions, it was the perfect amount of thrill.

It was a simple afternoon, just watching them enjoy the repetition of going up, seeing the view for a second, and feeling the rush of coming back down.