When Life hands you lemons…

Anyone who has watched the movie series, The Fall of the House of Usher, will concede that this particular Roderick Usher monologue was one for the ages. It breaks the age-old convention of typecasting how to react in unsavory moments. As we say in local parlance, it ‘shattered the table’ and highlighted the essence of controlling not just the narrative, but the audience, the market, and unbeknownst to all concerned, the mind.

When Life hands you lemons…

It’s hard to wake up and smell the roses when it constantly feels like you are pushing against the tide. You appraise yourself at every turn and feel the urge to critique brutally, especially when you have to compare yourself with others who you think, are doing better than you are. You fail to recognize your wins and the moments when the sun rose on your side of the world. You are quick to forget that ‘to each his own’, and while we appear to be on the same journey, our destinations are different. The persistent need to self-sabotage drives you, almost like an addiction. It becomes difficult to appreciate the gift of lemons.

When Life hands you lemons…

You are quick to discount the object, yet you don’t recognize that what you have been handed is a gift: A chance at survival; another go at dreams not realized; an opportunity to thrive, mend fences, and foster better relationships. Yet, you are so caught up looking in the rear-view mirror that you pay no mind to the vastness of the vistas ahead. Disappointments can hurt; love lost can turn hearts to stone, and the premise of trying again after falling short, is something that requires the sheer force of will. Realize that there will be nothing new under the sun and embrace the reality otherwise, the quicksand of self-pity will only cause you to self-destruct. And your dreams will no longer be valid where you are headed.

When Life hands you lemons…

You forget there are those who’d give anything to nibble on your lemons. You are so invested in your moments of frustration that you don’t realize you are living the days you once prayed for. You are presently in a place where folks would literally give anything to swap places. In your moments of rage, you become ungrateful and fail to realize the true potential of the gifts you have been handed. How you have ridden the crests of grace through thick and thin, even when it all seemed impossible? How you can harness the drive in these moments to propel yourself beyond your wildest imaginations! You do not see your condition for what it truly is; a time to rediscover and innovate. Out of the ashes doth the phoenix rise. You only need to find your happy.

When life hands you lemons…

You are in the spotlight. Surely, people want to see what you do with them. Do you shrivel and hide away? Or do you put on your Sunday best and make a show with them? To borrow from Roderick’s narrative, you could sell a truckload of lemons and look good while at it. Adversity comes to toughen and if you falter on the day of trial, how small is your strength? Your ‘vibe’ can spark a contagion: it will reflect on your relationships; the output of your work, and your outlook on life. Heck! It’s tough out there! No one has it assured. No one has it all figured out. It’s hard when people put you on a pedestal and expect you to be picture-perfect all the time. You don’t need to be validated. That you show up and show out is all the validation you need. You are allowed to falter; you just aren’t permitted to break into pieces.

When life hands you lemons…

You need to hold on to people while you cringe from the taste it leaves in your mouth; how it makes your body shudder. Let people see the joy in you while you wait and trust the process. Embrace family, flaws and all, and spare no moment in letting them know how much they mean to you. Life is but a fleeting moment; here today, gone tomorrow. Give freely of yourself for the world is a beautiful place and deserves the goodness that resides in your heart. Set yourself free from all the shackles as they only exist as a limitation in your mind. Live, laugh, and love. Think about it: What’s the worst that can happen?

So next time life hands you lemons, chin up and place orders for more.