Butterfly Janis & Alice

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SHE SPOKE...

Contributing writer Annette Maxwell, yipifrknskipi


I'm afraid I can't remember the last time the sky opened up and rained sour citrus fruits.  Nor can I recall some omnipotent deity materializing in front of me with a bushel marked Sunkist.  In fact, chances are, the only people life will actually hand lemons to are citrus farmers (and those who buy used cars from men in cheap polyester suits).

  Although it's obvious that life isn't literally going to give you lemons, it's a given that it will come your way chock full 'o problems.  That's where the absurd phrase about making lemonade comes into play...because how you deal with the problems determines whether you're living in the positive or negative sphere of life.

  I certainly wasn't planning on becoming a mother at the tender age of seventeen.  Many of my classmates, friends, and teachers pointed out that I did indeed have a lemon in my lap, no pun intended.  I agreed-my pregnancy left the sour taste of a lost youth in my mouth, and dreams of a care-free college life fled on the wind.

  Fortunately, my mother was there for me, giving me sound advice and step-by-step instructions on making my own lemons into lemonade. And I did.  I focused on balancing the three facets of my life (family, work, school) and learned the dedication and patience that only a single mother can possess.

  Now, I've successfully got lemonade. My negative has now become a proud positive.  I've got certain advantages other women may not have, such as a son who will start college by the time I'm thirty-five, a time when most women find themselves knee-deep in lunch boxes and multiplication tables.

  What have we learned here?  The next time someone repeats that well-known phrase, don't roll your eyes or launch a verbal assault.  Instead, stop and think about your situation.  True, there are some lemons that just can't be turned to lemonade, but those are few and far between.  Remember, it's how we deal with our lemons that determines the quality of life-sour, or sweet. 

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