Lucky

The saying: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" gives us some clues how to maintain optimism in the face of adversity. I have always been a big fan of such quotes despite the fact that though easy to say, they may not always be the easiest things to really apply. When faced with bitterness in our lives it's easy to feel that it is undeserved and get into an attitude of wallowing rather than seeing what brightness we can get out of the challenge.

At the moment, I have the opposite problem. If the antithesis of lemon is lemonade I feel like at the moment I am being bathed in lemonade. It is raining continuously and the sweetness is completely engulfing me. Throughout my extremely happy life I don't remember ever being so surrounded by positivity or ever feeling more grateful for the things I have. I never feel that I can thank Heavenly Father enough for my life- He is making it even more impossible recently. 

I feel LUCKY. In fact, I know that the things I have in my life don't come through 'luck' at all. To quote Albert Einstein: "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." The reason I use the word 'lucky' is because to call it a blessing might imply that I have done something to be deserving of it. In my experience, it doesn't necessarily follow that in this life people who chose good things will inevitably avoid trials and only ever reap the good; neither is the converse true. For whatever reason, at this time in my life blessings are flowing abundantly and I am left in even more awe and wonder than I usually am. 

It's remarkable when you look back over weeks and years and you can see a perfect path that led to where you are standing now. We've been for a few short walks over the last few days (Monday, Farndale, and yesterday in Dalby Forest- both in glorious Yorkshire). My favourite part of any walk is that moment when you've been walking uphill for some time and you realise you've just about reached the highest point and you whirl around to look back on where you've come from. Beautiful views take my breath away. That's where I am in my life right now. I've reached a perfect plateau and from this new point of perspective I can see an incredible sight below. Suddenly it feels like that short uphill climb can't possibly have granted me such a view! There are rough roads and smooth roads but each of those have brought me here. Not only have the roads brought me here- my family are here. My wonderful family who are achieving amazing things. Somehow we've arrived here in safety! There's a promise of never having to climb alone. That circle of family will actually just keep expanding. 

The great thing about this plateau is that this view is only a taste of the one I'll get as I keep climbing. I'm really only just in the foothills and there's a whole mountain to climb. 

The most amazing thing about feeling this lucky is never envisaging it ending. Yes, there will always be tough roads that we have to climb; but there will be hands to hold, plateaus to marvel from and cold, sweet lemonade to refresh along the way...