The Tao of Dueling Dragons

For SVP Account Director Will Metzger, wellness means going from one kind of rollercoaster to another.

Take it away, Will!

The killer moment on the Universal Studios Dueling Dragons roller coaster ride is when the two coasters -- which start side by side – diverge and then race straight towards each other. And just as you are looking right into the terrified faces rushing at you, the coasters loop straight up and into a backwards spiral roll.

Getting off the ride with my 9 year old son, our reaction was exactly the same: terror, elation, and a desire to do it again! But next time, on the red “Fire” dragon vs. the blue “Ice” dragon we had just been on.

And so it went for two days of rides and thrills; forgetting clients and budgets, mortgages and bills, home improvement to do lists, foreign wars, Congressional wars. Two days of being “in the moment”, experiencing an admittedly alternate reality world, not just through a kid’s eyes but as a kid myself. And, I’ll admit, it’s tiring!

Then my son and I saw a spring training game, got some autographs. And at the end of the third day, met up with my wife and daughter for a few days of beach time.

But that’s what I’ve come to expect from family vacations. Equal parts exhaustion and relaxation. New experiences, recharging, re-bonding with the kids (and wife).

A vacation should promote both physical and emotional wellness (and not put too big a dent in your financial wellness). And speaking of physical wellness, does anyone know a chiropractor that specializes in roller coaster whiplash?

Take that vacation and be well.