watching a merry-go-round

I was watching the merry-go-round at the mall the other day. I have always thought that they are one of the most overrated things in the world. They are bright and cheerful and promise a lot, but when you get on them all you do is go round and round, getting off near where you got on.

There was a hand-carved carousel in Spokane, WA, when I was there. It was beautiful and came from some European country the first part of the 20th century. I was doing youth work at a church there and the teens wanted me to ride the carousel. I didn’t want to, but they felt that if I did, it would be great.

Finally one of them bought me a ticket and gave it to me. So I rode it. I sat on it and felt kind of goofy, and was glad when it was over. I even grabbed a brass ring.

I think of that whenever I see a carousel. They are so pretty but like so many things in life, they do nothing but provide flash.

Of course, little children love it. And parents love for their kids to ride. In fact, one parent at the mall walked around the carousel the opposite direction so she could see her child more times. Every time she saw her child, she would wave. It went on for around five minutes.

I thought it was interesting at the mall that there were oldies on the sound system. Usually it is calliope music.

When I hear the calliope music, it really hits me and it all looks so good. Then I remember that all you do is go around and around. But since we sit near the carousel when we go to see the wackos and I like to hear oldies. But it is kind of funny to think of these kids listening to 45 year old music while they ride what is in effect a 19th century carousel.

Odd way for life to go.