Today's Thoughts on Existing

Sometimes there is no sugar available when you need to make lemonade with the lemons life throws at you.

Today's thoughts are of a more negative nature...

“The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all

possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.”

James Branch Cabell, The Silver Stallion

When life throws you lemons...

...And it will happen to you more often than you like, the quick fix is "to make lemonade." However, no one wants to drink lemonade without sugar. Picture the look on a child's face: he is about to take a sip of sweet, refreshing lemonade only to swallow a mouthful of old, watered down lemon juice.

That has been the theme of my life as of late. I am juggling a barrel of lemons about to go bad, and I'm all out of sugar. What do you do? How do you cope? The lemons are getting that leathery texture to them and feel squishy instead of firm and juicy. There is water, close to bad lemons, and...

and...

Nothing.

There is nothing of value to add to that scenario to make it anything better than what it is.

Sometimes that happens and the only thing left to do is brace yourself and take it. I have come to value truth and embrace it, even when it is sour or bitter going down. There is nothing good to "sandwich" on either side of the bad and when that happens, the only thing one can do is accept it.

It takes courage to accept the truth, to embrace it and allow it to sink down into your soul. Sometimes the truth comes in the form of a terminal medical diagnosis. The death of a loved one. A spouse leaving. Family strife. Depression. Exhaustion. Financial crisis. Failure. The list is endless.

It is okay to grieve. It is okay to be upset and overwhelmed and cry, throw things, stomp your feet like a raging toddler and scream into a pillow. That is not making lemonade. That is just taking the lemon for what it is.

Sometimes there is no replacement for a good pity party. It can be satisfying to wallow and weep. There is a season in everyone's life like this. Sometimes there may be multiple seasons that last much longer than anticipated. I am not here to tell you to think positive. Not in today's meandering.

I will say though, that in the midst of impending betrayal and looming death, Jesus wept.

Even the great son of God got emotional when facing the hard truths about the future. He knew that it was part of a greater plan, and that it was going to be worth it.

I have to take this to heart and believe the same for myself. That no matter how hard things get, I will get through it and take the experiences and learn and grow from them. They may not be sweet, and I may have no way to sweeten them, but I have the power to accept the difficulties and still be strengthened through them.

So don't throw away your lemons when you can't make lemonade. Accept the lemons at full strength and use them to enhance the flavor of your life.