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September 19, 2004
Lindsey Ridgway
Butterflies raced through my stomach. A mix of thrill and terror burst through my veins. The city of London was so beautiful, the night sky shimmered like a thousand lightning bugs dancing across the sky. I held Lauren's hand on the left and Alex's hand on the right. This moment would forever be imbedded in my memory. The Thames River festival is your typical community carnival, with good food, good music, and good drinks. However there was something magical about this night compared to most: we were in London...walking and mingling with the English, not as tourists, but as temporary citizens.
When we saw the Ferris wheel rising up in the night sky we just knew we had to be there. We grabbed each other's hands and ran, almost like we were ten again, to the back of the line. To us, the two pounds for
a few minutes of thrill was worth it, especially in London. So we packed on, me in the middle, and braced ourselves for the long climb to the top. A couple behind us held hands and took a romantic kiss. A mother and son in front of us giggled with joy as the wind blew their hair. Lauren, Alex, and I just sat wide-eyed, holding hands, realizing how surreal it was to be looking at the view around us. The outline of the city, Big Ben in the distance, the Thames River below us. It was like a dream, and we were all sharing it with each other. You never stop to think that something so minute as a carnival ride could be so enthralling. I
think tonight I learned that any moment can be your best, if you just let it.
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