Life & Lemons

Today I'm sending out birthday wishes to my mom.

And to Sally's son Nathan, who likely misses her more than ever on days like today. And I'm thinking about Christopher, a young man who lost his mom a dozen years ago, when he was in first grade. 

This lemon tree that we planted in her memory is thriving, as is he. He visited our campus yesterday because he's a teenage mentor in the Peer Assistance Leadership (PAL) program.

When I pointed out to him how fruit-filled his mom's tree is,

I held back tears as I watched him pick two of the lemons.

This young man hasn't had it easy, but he's an example of

resilience and grit. He lives life like his mom did,

with unbridled verve and a big smile on his face.

Seeing him yesterday got me to thinking about this quote:

Simply by looking at Chris, you can't possibly see or feel

the pain that he has endured. The grief. The loss. The loneliness.

But instead of letting it paralyze him or shut him down,

he's using his challenges to help other children,

to nurture their happiness and give them hope. 

Life gave him lemons, and he's making lemonade.

Everyone is facing something.

Wouldn't it make sense to just treat each other

as if ... just in case ... 

with kindness and care?

Birthday blessings, Mom. May you have many, many more.