Oranges and Lemons

Today, I was sitting on the bench with two friends of mine, laughing at some silly joke that we cracked. And while we were splitting into peals of laughter, a sudden feeling swept through me. A feeling which made me realize that this moment is fleeting away, and soon, all this will be in the past. A memory amongst all those other memories, like a book in a library. And I felt shaken from inside, the mere realization made me feel vulnerable. And my mind started wandering in different directions, lost and perplexed. I, at that very moment, realized that things were going to change.

That feeling when you realize things are going to change and nothing will be the same ever again. But then isn’t changing the law of nature – inevitable. Then why is it so difficult for us to accept it? Why do we try to stick to things even when we are already aware of the fact that nothing remains the same forever? And then, on the contrary, we like to believe in the saying “variety is the spice of life”. Shouldn’t that make it easier for us to accept and adapt to the changes. So where does this dilemma lead us?

According to me, it’s not the change that baffles people, but the uncertainty. The uncertainty whether the change will be for good or for bad. The brain, that is deliberated to think logically, comes up with plausible reasons for the change. But can one justify a change? One can never tell if a change is for good or bad, because I believe everything is relative. What may look bad in a certain situation can be the best that could have happened then, and vice versa. Perception varies for every individual.

So what can be the possible solution to this question? I’m reminded of one of my favorite quotes – “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” I find it very practical. Instead of thinking “why did I get lemons and not oranges?” one should make as much as lemonade he/she can. The lemons here being metaphor for opportunities. One should use the change as an opportunity to do things differently instead of thinking what changed and whether it was for the better or worse.  Because when life gives you lemons instead of oranges, you should make lemonade instead of thinking how different would things be, if you had the chance to make orange juice. Because lemons are lemons and oranges are oranges.