Lemons

On sour days, sweet moments, and everything in between

I know what they say about lemons.

They tell you to make lemonade out of life’s sour moments — to find the good in the bad, the light in the shadows. Easy advice to give, but not always so easy to follow.

Lately, I’ve had my fair share of lemons. I’ve sat in the sting of disappointment, let the tears come, and wondered why life has to taste so bitter sometimes. But I’m learning — slowly — to stop fixating on the sour and look for the sweet instead.

Like the grin that greets me after the longest day, reminding me I’m someone’s favorite person in the world.

Like the silly boy who gets green marker all over his face and laughs, while I forget my panic long enough to take a picture.

Like the giggles when I swirl him around the room, his joy demanding that I sing and dance again and again.

Like music class, where he may be the only one not walking yet — but still manages to be the best dancer, cracking up every parent in the room.

Like the evenings that always end the same way: board books, heavy lashes, and a baby asleep in my arms, angel-soft and dreaming.

The truth is, the lemons never stop coming. But neither does the sweetness. Because even when life seems kind of bad, things can still be good. And if I pay attention, I see that sometimes the sour is only there to remind me just how good the sweet can be.