Squeezing Lemons
It takes courage to make lemonade. Squeezing the lemons inevitably results in a little bit of juice on your hands, clothes, or face, and sometimes a squirt lands in your eye - ouch! And whether you're making lemonade in the literal sense, to quench your thirst, or in the metaphorical sense, spinning a challenge on its axis into something positive - the result is highly satisfying.
I recently learned of a couple planning a wedding. The bride and groom to-be had a head start on their lives together. They purchased a home, were living together, and felt the time for official "I do's" had arrived. The date was set, a posh hotel in Boston was selected to host the reception, and arrangements were made for food, music, flowers, and other wedding day niceties.
As the wedding approached, previously undiscovered challenges in the relationship revealed themselves. The couple, unprepared to work through these issues together, sadly began the unwinding of their entwined lives. The visions of promise went dark, and with a wounded heart the bride sought her $25,000 back from the hotel, caterer, etc., as there would be no wedding.
Our heroine quickly learned that there would also be no refund! And so, this resilient woman dug out her personal juicer, started slicing lemons, and squeezed. Since the money could not be retrieved, she decided to throw a party. On the day she was to be a blushing bride, 200 guests for $100 each would join her for an extraordinary night of fun, food, and dancing. The hotel, understanding her circumstances, offered an alternative. While no monies would be refunded, she could choose any night they had available, rather than her previously planned wedding date. She selected New Year's Eve - closing out the old and embracing anew.
Word of this courageous party spread from friend to friend. Soon, the guest list grew to 220, which meant adjusting the menu from a sit down meal to a buffet to accommodate the additional guests. Still, the party continued to entice newcomers. Folks, moved by this young woman's spin on a challenging circumstance, provided financial assistance, emotional encouragement, and plenty of people to celebrate with. The notion of starting the New Year, a new beginning, with such grace brought the final tally of attendants to 250. If the venue could have managed the crowd, she easily could have sold over 300 tickets. Together, this merry group rang in 2011 with open-hearted support and smiles on their faces - honored to contribute some sugar to this very special lemonade.
Each day, we face our own opportunities to "turn our lemons into lemonade." We all know the difference between that sour look resulting from a squirt in the eye and the satisfaction of that first refreshing sip. This true story provides me with a powerful model of what's possible, when the chips are down. I thought it might inspire you, too.
Wishing you days of lemonade,
Joanne Lutz