Lemons and Crap: Gifts of Life

Seven years ago my husband and I had a one year-old daughter with RSV, a turkey farm with no contract or turkeys to raise, I was suffering from complications following a ruptured gall bladder, and my school district was down trodden from all sorts of issues. To cheer me up my good friend and fellow teacher, Terri, gave me a card. The front of the card read: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” The inside said: “When life hands you a big pile of crap. Don’t make anything. (Trust me!)”

I loved that card and I still really enjoy thinking about its message.

Life can send some real stinkers our way. I love to think we can always make something sweet from our circumstances, but there are always exceptions to the rule.

If you are experiencing one of those times, when you just don’t know what to do with what life hands you, take the advice of my greeting card. Don’t do anything.

I am not saying check out permanently. Rather than running yourself ragged to fix something you can’t fix, step back. Look for alternate solutions or resources to find assistance. Consider taking a different path.

Just because that big ol’ pile of poo is staring you in the face, doesn’t mean you have to pick it up.

We are all going to find ourselves in stinky situations and we all have to work through them, but we also have to realize when it is time to step away.

Beautify your life through your intentions and choose to not wallow in the muck of bad luck or negativity.

By: Melanie A. Peters