“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” . . . a familiar slogan of encouragement in the midst of adversity.
Originally coined in 1915 by Elbert Hubbard writing an obituary for his perpetually optimistic friend who refused to succumb to the ’lemons’ of his disabilities, it was later popularized by Dale Carnegie in his book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, but not before it was skillfully ‘poeticized’ in The Rotarian under the title The Optimist:
“Life handed him a lemon,
As Life sometimes will do.
His friends looked on in pity,
Assuming he was through.
They came upon him later,
Reclining in the shade
In calm contentment, drinking
A glass of lemonade.”
Standing by the river today this lone aspen tree garbed in fall’s gold got me to a-thinkin’ . . . despite solitary exposure to the elements on sparse, nutrient deprived soil, this little aspen thrives, exemplifying making ‘lemonade’ from life’s adversarial ‘lemons’. . . a humble reminder that whatever adversity life may bring my way, I need to persist and “Grow where your planted” to hopefully someday enjoy . . .
Reclining in the shade
In calm contentment, drinking
A glass of lemonade.”
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” – Rom:8:28
May this find your glass of lemonade half-full to overflowing. Be blessed, and . . .
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Keep Looking Up
