Episode 17: I Went on an Emotional Rollercoaster Literally—Carl Built One in My Backyard


One morning, I woke up to find something unbelievable in my backyard — a full-blown amusement park. But not a regular one. This park was made by Carl, my monocled cactus friend, and every ride was based on a feeling I’d been keeping locked inside.

Carl was standing by a fancy brass ticket booth, wearing a tuxedo and a red bow tie — yes, a cactus in a tuxedo! He handed me a shiny golden ticket and said, “Welcome to Feelingsland. Every ride is one of your repressed emotions brought to life.”

I wasn’t sure what to think, but I decided to give it a try. After all, it was Carl’s creation, and if anyone could build a rollercoaster that teaches you about emotions, it’s him.


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Regret Rapids

The first ride was called Regret Rapids, a huge wooden rollercoaster twisting over waterfalls. As I climbed into the ride car, I noticed that the water wasn’t just water — it was cold and splashy, like all the “what if” moments in my life.

The roller coaster started slow, going up a steep hill. I thought about mistakes I had made, chances I had missed, and times I wished I had done things differently. Suddenly, the car dropped fast and splashed me with cold water. The feeling of regret rushed over me like a wave — sad, heavy, but somehow cleansing.

The ride twisted and turned through loops that felt like a mix of sadness, hope, and fear. When it finally stopped, I was soaked but felt lighter inside. Carl handed me a towel and said, “Regret is hard, but it helps you learn.”


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The Denial Drop

Next, I went to The Denial Drop — a tall tower covered in mirrors that showed many versions of me: happy, scared, shy, and even angry.

At the top, I sat in a chair that suddenly dropped quickly. My stomach flipped, and I felt scared, but the ride slowed gently near the bottom. Instead of crashing, I landed in a quiet room where a friendly therapist waited.

The therapist asked me questions about things I had been ignoring — fears I was scared to face and truths I didn’t want to admit. Talking about those things helped me feel calm and understood.

After the session, Carl gave me a warm cup of tea and said, “Denial is a big drop, but talking about feelings helps you land safely.”


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What I Learned from Carl’s Emotional Rollercoaster

As the sun set, I sat under a cotton candy tree that smelled just like the sweet treat. I thought about all the rides and feelings I experienced that day.

Regret was like a splashy rollercoaster that made me face my mistakes and feel lighter afterward.

Denial was a scary drop that led to talking about the hard things I didn’t want to admit.


Carl told me, “Feelings aren’t meant to be hidden forever. They want to be felt and understood.”

That made me realize: avoiding feelings only makes them harder to carry. But facing them, even when scary, helps us grow stronger and kinder to ourselves.


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Try This at Home!

You don’t need a giant amusement park to explore your feelings. You can:

Draw your feelings as rides in an imaginary theme park.

Write stories about what each ride might feel like.

Talk with a trusted friend or family member about feelings you find confusing.


Remember, all feelings are okay to have — happy, sad, scared, or angry. They help tell your story.

And if you ever feel overwhelmed, maybe your own cactus friend will build a Feelingsland for you, too!


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Vocabulary Words

Repressed — feelings you try to hide or avoid.

Denial — when you refuse to accept something is true.

Regret — feeling sad or sorry about something you did or didn’t do.

Therapy — talking with someone who helps you understand your feelings.



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Key Lesson: Sometimes feelings are like rollercoasters — wild, scary, and surprising. But riding through them helps us learn more about ourselves and grow stronger.


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Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear what rides you’d create for your own emotional rollercoaster. Share your ideas in the comments or draw your Feelingsland theme park!

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