The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie

by Rachel Linden

I’d stepped in to fill the hole in her life as best I could. Some days I thought it was almost enough.

“On the contrary, I think we’re the most honest when we’re young,” she replied brusquely. “It’s later in life we get good at lying to ourselves.”

“Life is too short for second-guesses.” She sniffed. “You make the best choice you can, and then you stick with it. I don’t look back.”

“Happiness is fleeting, fickle, often based on our circumstances.” Aunt Gert waved a hand dismissively. “If you chase happiness, you will more often than not end up disappointed by the very nature of life. Life is hard, brutal at times, and often unfair. But following your bliss, that’s entirely different. It means facing your present reality with honesty and courage and, in the midst of it all, continuing to pursue each spark of joy, even if it is a tiny pinpoint in the darkness of your life. Do not give up. Continue to look for the light in your life—it is always present somewhere, some small thing to be grateful for, something to celebrate, a way to give joy to others, a new way to grow. Move toward the light in life; seek it out no matter what. This is the essence of what it means to follow your bliss. You must be honest. Pay attention. Seek joy.”

“When we make a choice, we necessarily limit all the other choices. Every path narrows our options, every decision closes many other doors. Yet we make a choice hoping we’re trading all the other options for the one that will be the best.”

Every choice means I sacrifice something else.

learned that sometimes you have to let go. Sometimes it’s the only way forward.

Sometimes things don’t work out the way we hoped, despite our best intentions. And when they go pear-shaped, you have to let them. You can’t keep holding on, trying to redo the past and stop the bad things from happening. They happened, and you can’t change that. You can’t keep holding on to the vision of the future you imagined you’d have, the way you thought things would turn out. You have to let the present be what it is—broken, flawed, painful, but real.” I stared at her, ingesting her words slowly. “I don’t know how to do that,” I admitted. “If I let go, everything will fall to pieces. I can’t let that happen.”

“Honey, it sounds like whatever you’re holding on to is probably already broken,” she said kindly, “and you’re just holding the pieces together and praying for some glue.” She paused, considering. “Life doesn’t work that way. If you cling so tight to something that’s already broken, to a life and dream that can never come true, you don’t have space in your life for anything else, for the good and real plan Bs.” She

Now I think you should take life’s lemons and do whatever you want with them, whatever brings you joy. Maybe you make lemonade if that’s your style. But maybe you get some gin and make yourself a strong double gin fizz. Choose what brings you life, my girl, and it will all come right in the end. Trust me on that.”

“Some things aren’t meant to be mended,” she said finally, gently. “Sometimes it’s in the breaking that the light can finally shine through.”