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The reintroduction of fun

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The VOICE of Inspiration

By Don Lindsey.

On Wednesday, my wife Tammy and I were able to take a much-needed date to Universal Studio’s theme park. I’m sure many couples can relate to how hard it is to find some time to go on a date. Thankfully for us, Tammy was on vacation this past week, so when her friend from work offered her tickets, we were excited and confident that we would have a great time.

We weren’t wrong.

We got up early, went to our nearby Wawa for a carry out breakfast and then set out on our adventure for the day. With Universal being the closest of all the theme parks and our early start, we were able to make it to our destination before the place got too crowded. After entering the park, we made a beeline for the Harry Potter section. While I have seen the movies and thought that they were good, I still wasn’t a fan. Tammy, however, is a mega-fan.

Seeing her face light up as we walked through the re-creation of the town from the movie was in itself a treat. She bounced from shop to shop, looking at every exhibit and thoroughly taking in every detail and doing so with a massive smile on her face. She wanted to ride the main roller coaster in that area of the park. I can’t remember the name of it, but it was a combination of an Imax theater and roller coaster. It was also the only thing that Tammy didn’t like from Potterville due to motion sickness and the main thing that I loved.

As the coaster roared on its track, and the main scene played out before me, I laughed and yelled as I along with the rest of my coaster-mates were flung around in every direction. The scenery switched from Imax-like scenes to a cave setting with lots of creepy stuff jumping around. When we got off the ride, I could not wait to go on it again. I could see that Tammy would not be able to as she kept shifting from one shade of green to the next, so we agreed that before we left, I would ride the coaster again while she shopped. The rest of the day we spent roaming the park and finding a couple of rides that Tammy was able to enjoy before heading home. All in all, it was a fantastic day spent with my wife and could not have been more fun.

While Tammy and I had a blast at Universal, our daughter didn’t get to go as we only had two tickets, so I came up with the idea of taking her on a dad/daughter date, something she’s been asking for the last couple of weeks. We ate at her favorite restaurant and then went to Cranes Roost, where to my surprise, there is an art expo going on. Everything she loves such as art, crafts, and music all in one area! I couldn’t have planned it better if I had tried. I had a great time watching her bounce around the different tents checking out all the different displays. After ending the day with ice cream at Baskin Robins, we headed home, and, on the way, she looked at me and told me how much she appreciated the day out which made it even more worthwhile.

What I’ve learned through these two events is that I do not have enough fun in my life. My wife and I were talking about this. Sometimes we get into such a groove as employees, mothers, fathers, and such that we end up being obsessed with our routines.

As Tammy put it, “we get to a place in our lives where we just exist.”

That’s not living a full life and as I’ve learned through my reintroduction of fun in the last week. A full life must have fun of some sort. It doesn’t have to be a trip to a theme park; it could be something as simple as ice cream with your kids.

Wherever you find fun, take advantage because, without it, life can be pretty dull.

Don Lindsey is a follower of Christ, son, husband, father, and a survivor. Originally from Dayton Ohio, and resident of Apopka for six years, Don sees his life as a dedication to his wife, parents, children, and community.

Don Lindsey, Inspiration

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