Carnival of Senses

Stepping onto the gum paved sidewalk, your lungs fill with the chilled autumn air. Whirlwinds of rainbow colored leaves swirl around you as you walk to the nearby booth to buy your all-you-can-ride wristband. It’s a hot pink color; it makes you smile as you walk into the chaos-filled carnival. The breeze carries the aromas of popcorn, funnel cakes and corn dogs, yet you don’t mind, as it only makes the experience that much more exciting. A man carrying well over a dozen balloons rushes past you, and for a split second, you’re surrounded by an assorted array of colors. You walk slowly, observing all of the games, rides, and people around you. You stop walking as you come to the next ride you saw. As you wait in line, you see the miscellaneous chaos of the lights in the park. Hundreds of colors you can only imagine, flashing from tiny little light bulbs you only know are there. They’re all around you, and it’s almost overwhelming. You hear music of every kind, mixed with laughter and the voices of people in awe. The people on the ride step off and set out for their next adventure. The conductor smiles and motions you into the tiny cart on the giant wheel. He closes the gate and seconds later, you feel the ride jerk and you quickly grab the sides for support. The ride lurches upward and you feel the crisp air blowing past your face. You can smell the scent of lemons off the lemonade stand below. You reach to top of the ride, only to gaze out and see bliss and amazement, your eyes miss not a single detail of the park. The sky looks as if it’s painted with glitter, and you feel so close, that you wonder if you could reach out and touch the heavens.