Life is tough and then you die. Whether you believe this or
not may depend on what you consider a tough life. All of us living in the
United States have a pretty great life. However, we tend to complain and feel
sorry for ourselves when challenges arise or we think we don’t have everything
we should. A woman living in Afghanistan or Congo, for instance, can only dream of the
luxurious life that we American women have. Their best of times would be
intolerable to us, yet they manage to find joy and happiness in the face of
poverty, war and oppression. It’s all relative to what you know and often
we do not appreciate the gifts we have been given.
My 59 years of living have taught me that the worst things I
have been dealt have made me a stronger, but more importantly, a happier
person. When I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, my world was shattered.
Coping with my own mortality was a complex and lonely emotional roller coaster.
Through the process it became very clear what is important in my life and what
is not.
Twelve years have past since this trauma and I have been
drinking lemonade ever since. Now I look at life’s events, the good and the
bad, with a whole new perspective. I consider everyday an opportunity to live.
Irritations that may have upset me in the past are now just that,
irritations. When a loved one passes I am grateful I had their love in my life
for as long as I did. I am not saying that loss isn’t painful, but it is a
natural part of the human experience and something we all must face.
No one ever said life was easy or fair. But it is full of
richness, beauty and love. Drink it in and feel every experience with passion
and interest. Live, laugh, love and cry, learning all the while, and remember,
lemons make lemonade.
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