Making Pink Lemonade
Thank you to everyone who left a comment of support or said a prayer during this sad time. Your words and kindness were felt and so very much appreciated. I felt the compassion and sincerity in every comment and email I received. It was an awesome feeling to know so many people care. My friends are doing ok, just taking each day as it comes. The sun rises every day, and life continues. Sadly, it's not the same as before, but it continues nonetheless. Sometimes it would be nice if time could just stop (or even reverse) for a while, let us regroup, take a deep breath, figure some things out, and try and make sense of it all. But, it just doesn't work that way. And there is no sense to be made of this. No rationalization at all. But, I do know that the power of love is amazing, and the kindness of humanity is reassuring.
If anything positive can come out of a tragic circumstance like this one, I think it is the reminder that life is fragile and that people need people. At the funeral service, the pastor spoke about refocusing our lives. Focusing on the important things and showing kindness and compassion to others. It's true that something so small can make such a big difference in someone's day. Try to find something GOOD in everyone and in every situation, as difficult as that may be sometimes.
In this same vein, last week I encountered something negative, and I struggled to see the positive side of it. Someone left me an anonymous comment (which wasn't so anonymous) on a recent post saying hurtful, untrue things about me. I know there are always going to be people who feel the need to hide and shout nasty things from the sidelines, while covering their faces. It hurt my feelings, of course, but I knew it wasn't true. I know what I am, and I certainly know what I am not. I am honest. I try to do the right thing. I am not deceptive. I am not spiteful. I try to treat other people as I would like to be treated. I have been put in awkward situations, and I try to handle them with grace. Once in a while, something happens that shakes my faith in people. And then I realize it's just that one person or that one event, or whatever. Let it go, Andrea. Just let it be. There is nothing you can do about it. It's just a bad apple.
I guess that's the positive aspect right there: one bad apple makes all the other apples look so much shinier and better. It made me realize (even more than I already did) how many wonderful people are woven into the fabric that is my life. I am blessed and lucky and happy and loved. The one or two rotten apples are irrelevant in the scheme of things, ya know?
This blog is a place to share beauty, build friendships, and be happy! I could sit here and write about people who have done me wrong, deceived me, flat out lied to me....blah, blah, blah..... but this is not the place for any of that, and I won't let it become that place. I am focusing on good things, the positive things. The good stuff far outweighs the bad!
Petty nonsense does not live here.
Happy lives here.
Friends are always welcome here.
Beauty lives here.
If you read all the way to the end of this post......(thank you)...... I hope you will share my focus and spread a little kindness and try to see the good and the positive side of things. Be nice and think twice before uttering negative words. Take lemons and make lemonade....and better yet, make it PINK!
Life is too short. I know we all know this, but sometimes it takes a sad circumstance to put things back in focus.
I hope you have a happy weekend and get a chance to share a little joy with someone else! I'll be back very soon with lots of shop updates and pretty things to share with you!
