Parachuting. Bungee jumping. One night stands. So much in life is done simply for the thrill of it all…

…isn’t there more to life than that?

Don’t get me wrong. I love the feeling of exhilaration, the take-your-breath-away moments that come unexpectedly. But those are natural…organic. When you get to a point where you have to make moments happen, or where you take unnecessary risks with your life, then it’s simply for the thrill of it all. And it won’t last. And someday it may not be enough.

Maybe it’s because I’m not as young as I used to be. Maybe it’s because my perspective has gone from a temporary one to an eternal one. Either way, I know there is so much more to life than just seeking after the next thrill.

Listen to your favorite song. Don’t just hear it. Listen to it. Examine the beats, the melody, the separate parts and how they meld together and move you. Look at your favorite work of art. Don’t just see it. Study the brush strokes, the color palette, the way the paint sits upon the canvas and inspires you. Read your favorite book or story. Don’t just let the words pass before your eyes. Probe the different adjectives, verbs, and phrases…how they form the thoughts and word pictures that dance inside your mind.

There’s a thrill in each of those endeavors that never truly fades away. It endures those down times in your life. No one can ever take away your thoughts and dreams. And no cliff in the world is high enough to match that kind of thrill.

The Thrill Of It All

He was a silver-tongued devil and a breaker of hearts.
She liked to mimic the movies; all the dangerous parts…
A diamond Dan and a femme fatale
In for a penny and the thrill of it all.

He liked his single malt scotch and his Cuban cigars.
She went for rocks on a bracelet and Bavarian cars.
A double oh seven and a Barbie doll
Live for the moment and the thrill of it all

Oh no, don’t you think about it.
Just go when you hear that call.
Your heart; don’t you ever doubt it…
Don’t wanna miss out on the thrill of it all.

He had his Ellington records and some old forty-fives.
She bopped to Ella Fitzgerald on her afternoon drives
Could paths collide and barriers fall
For this he and she and the thrill of it all?

He weighed the whole risk factor as he opened the door.
She took a contemplating look as she walked in the store.
As simple as that; not a minute to stall
A motion is started for the thrill of it all.

chorus

What happens when beginnings end?
Will they build a window or construct a wall?
To keep embers after first sparks fly
Is the true measure for the thrill of it all

© Copyright Tony Funderburk 1999

In Faith, Hope, and Love”