One of my earliest memories is full of fear and pain; a family trip to a magical amusement park led to a horrifying night in the hospital. My seven-year-old energetic self, showed excitement as I ran to my first roller coaster ride. I had no problems, running carelessly and freely through people. Before entering one of the “worlds” (Dungeon Dragons), I found myself in a dark cave with textured spikes coming out. I was chasing my dad through the cave when my mom called for me on the opposite side. I took a sharp turn to run back to my mom and a spike struck through my head. The next few moments are blurry: full of tears, blood, and cries. I remember sitting on a bench on my mom's lap, my dad and sister beside me frantically on the phone. The next thing I know, I am sitting in a van on the way to the emergency room.

The freezing cold room, uncomfortable bed sheets, and distinct smell of the hospital are vivid in my brain. Here, I sat and waited for the head surgeon for over 10 hours. My family, still in shock and fear, sat with me for all of these long hours, refusing to leave my side. With no real food, I snacked on chips and candy from the vending machine. A few hours and a lot of stitches later, my head was bandaged and I was finally sent back to my hotel room. My family trip was destroyed, and the jet skis we had planned to do the next day were canceled- no water and no physical activity. My parents insisted I get some rest to heal, so we went home. I was upset and cried for days, I still haven’t gotten to go on my first roller coaster.

Today, when I look in the mirror or take a selfie, I often notice the faded scar in the center of my forehead. These same memories rush through my brain and I remember the dark cave in the amusement park and the bed sheets of the hospital room. With more knowledge and experience, I learn that there are a lot more issues in life than missing out on a 30-second ride. Life is its own roller coaster, with highs and lows with a lot of bumps a lot the way.