Lemons & Sugar

Hey there. How’s your breath? Is it shallow? Uneven? Can you find more fullness and depth? Inhale. Exhale. Welcome to a Hit of Hope. I remember seeing a video one time where someone gave a toddler a lemon to eat. The toddler— trusting, expectant—clumsily grabbed the lemon, and immediately put it in her mouth. Why wouldn’t she? It was being offered to her by someone she loved, someone she trusted. Inhale. Exhale. The toddler’s first reaction was to do what we all do when we taste something sour.

Transcript

Hey there.

How's your breath?

Is it non-existent or shallow,

Uneven?

Can you find a little more fullness?

A little more depth and evenness?

Inhale.

Exhale.

Welcome to a hit of hope.

I remember seeing a video one time where somebody gave a toddler a lemon to eat.

The toddler,

Trusting,

Expectant,

Clumsily grabbed the lemon and immediately put it in her mouth.

Why wouldn't she?

It was being offered to her by someone she loved,

Someone she trusted.

Inhale.

Exhale.

The toddler's first reaction is what was expected.

It's what we all do when we taste something sour.

There was this monster,

Pucker.

But it was her second reaction that has stayed with me.

It was a look of,

How could you?

I trusted you.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Life gives us lemons,

Sure.

But so do those we love and trust.

Sometimes intentionally,

Sometimes not.

But it's pretty clear.

Humans hurt one another in small and huge ways,

Again and again.

And we are not only left to sit with the sting,

But with that sense that our innocence gets stripped away bit by bit.

Inhale.

Exhale.

But sometimes it is our very own selves that is handing us the lemon.

Here,

Eat this.

Feel the Pucker endure the sting.

We might not even be aware of how often we do this,

But it's any time those voices arise.

You always mess things up.

This is more proof of why nobody likes you.

My God,

You are so annoying.

Inhale.

Exhale.

One of the things meditation can do is to help us become aware.

What is it that you offer that spirit of yours?

Watch your thoughts.

Count the lemons.

And you know what?

You don't have to be the Dalai Lama every damn minute of every damn day.

In fact,

Relationship experts have found the magic ratio to be five to one.

They've found that successful relationships have five positive interactions for every negative one.

And this goes for other people.

But it can absolutely work for ourselves.

And this is really good news because you get that one where you don't have to be your best self,

Where you can do the thing that you immediately regret.

You don't have to be perfect with others or yourself.

But can you be more and more positive,

Handing yourself,

Handing others,

The sugar?

Inhale.

Exhale.

What is it that you are going to consistently give to this life and spirit of yours and to those others around you?

How will you feed it?

What will you feed it?

If you are feeling bitter,

What does your life need to feel better?

Because we shouldn't only count the lemons.

We should actively seek out the sugar,

The sweetness.

And if there isn't any or you're having a hard time finding it,

Make it yourself.

Sing a song,

Write yourself a love letter,

Give yourself a bath,

Take care,

Be kind,

Find the lemons,

Add the sugar,

And live light.

Reviews

I have these super sharp nails that can be called talons by now. They can cut through human skin if I try, really hard, and it’s rare but happened more that once- and here’s the point- I use them a LOT. I scratch at soft surfaces to relieve them. They’re not very long, honestly, but I’ve scratched myself multiple and one other human being once, so much so he has a literal SCRATCH that a scab formed over (I apologized we’re cool now), and often scratch myself, I need to stop with this tho, I can actually harm myself. They are like little daggers but rounder. Anyways I need to show more love for myself. (Btw shoutout to Tayden for uhhh… not dying on my behalf? And totally being cool? I apologized a lot, I was so scared of myself)

-blackout

Such a rich offering. Yes I can give myself lemons. Thank you for the reminder to seek out the sweet. Thank you for all that you do.

Lemons will challenge me to mske my day sweeter..
Thx as always doll!

I remember that look of betrayal on the toddler's face when she tasted that lemon. I've felt that sting, that utter disappointment, myself.
But, who hasn't? Should I never trust again? Was it me? What did I do to inspire such betrayal?

Eventually, I did what you suggest; I wrote 'love letters' to myself. I meditated on nothing more than my own worthiness. I let myself accept that I had been a true hero.

Now, a new home 2000 miles from the old. A new job that is almost exactly what I would have described as my dream job.
A new love whose honesty and empathy and history are such a match for my own...

I still taste the lemons, but I have a teaspoon of sugar right here.

Namaste.

Short yet impactful. Just the reminder most of us need from time to time.
Thank you🤩