Artificial happiness

The Office of the Building Official in Cebu City has temporarily suspended the operations of the amusement park at the South Road Properties. This happened after an incident occurred involving a so-called manual roller coaster where a man was seen pushing the ride. The whole thing was caught on camera and seen all over the internet. It would be a shame if they didn't take any action on the problem.

I'm not really a fan of amusement parks or any wild rides. The last time I did, I went on The Viking - a whole ship that goes crazily up and down the air for five minutes. I felt my insides also going up and down. Good thing, I didn't puke. Well, I almost did. Thanks to the trusty White Flower, I got myself together.

Amusement parks are places to make memories. But if I were to judge it, it only gives artificial happiness. You pay for a ride, get in and go through the whole thing, get off, and that's it. Sure, there are memories to speak of but the connection between one another is lost. There's nothing compared to a sit-down setup where conversations are made and feelings are shared. That's why I like coffee shops; they stir the conversation between two people. You may go alone and talk to the barista or go in a group. There are so many things to talk about. In this day of social media, we have lost the essence to reconnect with one another over the table.

The amusement park may bring smiles to little children but we have to also keep in mind that safety comes first before anything else. We need to keep our toes up on the different precautions that these operations may be sure that they don't only bring fun but safety as well.

But if you ask me, I'd rather that you spend time with your kid. Talk to them, tell your stories and share your experiences. Stop taking them to places so you can brag about it on social media. Nobody needs the approval of others in what they do. They need you; time, presence, and everything.

I couldn't stress more how important time is, which eventually equates to happiness. Let us forget about gadgets, mechanical objects, and others that only spawn artificial happiness. Be in the now.