*The Yiddish word for life is “lebn.”

According to Weinreich, the words meaning roller coaster are (di) barg-un-tol-ban.”

Applicants to Brandeis University in Massachusetts are grappling with an essay:

Imagine you have to wear a costume for a year of your life. What would you pick and why? A clown? A surgeon’s gown? Superman? (blue costume, red boots, and a long flowing cape. Yellow belt around his waist. And then there’s the large red letter “S” inscribed within the yellow shield.) The Fiddler on the roof? (ragged pants, shirt, vest, prayer shawl, overcoat, and cap.) Why? “Ver vaist”? (Who knows?)

Emory University in Atlanta asks its applicants to answer—in writing—this question: What is your favorite ride at the amusement park? How does this reflect your approach to life?

Today’s “mitlshul” (high school) senior is quite capable of answering such a question. Most would probably choose the roller coaster as their favorite ride.

The senior—although only 17 or 18- years of age, has already experienced life’s ups and downs. They’ve faced a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend. The junior/ senior prom was a disappointment; their date got “shiker” (drunk or intoxicated). They received a failing grade in Chemistry. Or, their guidance counselor discouraged them from applying to an Ivy League “kaledz” (college).

Douglas Twitchell (“Trials, Troubles, Life Perspectives and Roller Coasters,” http://www.biblical-illuminations.com) wrote:

“Life is like a roller coaster? I’ve heard that statement before, but I don’t think it’s accurate. When people say ‘Life is like a roller coaster,’ what they mean is it’s got ‘ups and downs.’ But really that’s not a great analogy, because when you’re riding a roller coaster, it ls ALL thrills and excitement…and the ‘ups’ are actually less thrilling than the ‘downs.’”

He continues: “No. life is not like a roller coaster. It’s like waiting in line for a roller coaster.

One of the boys in our youth group went out to Cedar Point last year, and rode on The Top Thrill Dragster, which is currently the second tallest roller coaster in the world.
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“How long did you stand in line for the roller coaster, Josh? An hour? An hour and a half?”

“More like three hours.”

“Wow. Was it worth the wait?”

“Oh, yeah!”
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Also interesting is the fact that in a letter to his son, Albert Einstein gave this advice: “Life is like riding a bicycle To keep your balance you must keep moving.

Getting back to Emory University’s question:

After 53 years of marriage I know that our lives resemble a roller coaster with all the ups, downs, twists and turns. The ups include births, Bar/Bat and “B-A-R-K” Mitzvahs, weddings, and earning the title of “Bobbbeh” and “Zaideh.” The downs: “krank-heit (sickness), divorce, unemployment, and death of a loved one.

I’ve only been on one roller coaster and that was the one at Rockaway’s Playland, an amusement park which was located on Beach 98th Street in Rockaway Beach, N. Y Playland’s roller coaster was known as the “Atom Smasher” and was prominently featured in the movie, “This is Cinerama.” It was designed by Vernon Keenan and Nat’l Amusement Devices (NAD) in 1938. The coaster was about 300 feet long and 70 feet high.

The New York Times contained an article by Joseph P. Fried ( April 24, 1987). “After 86 years, Rockaways Playland To Be Razed For 300 Condominiums.” The landmark roller coaster has succumbed to changing tastes, rising insurance costs, and the decline of the Rockaways as a summer resort, where generations of visitors once shrieked while riding the six-story roller coaster, where they rammed into each other on the bumper-car ride and ate hot dogs on the Midway.”

On second thought, I think I agree with Rachel Crisp, who said, “Life is like a roller coaster so why not sit up in the front with your hands in the air?”