I don’t have any intention of dying anytime soon but when I do I’ll be making it my duty to slap Adam and Eve clean across the face upon entering in the pearly gates,  because I’m already sure I’ll make it in.

 They say “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” but what does that really mean? Some people happen to love lemonade, myself included. Therefore this analogy on adequately adapting to the perils of life is insufficient.

From the moment I wake up until the second my eyes close at night, I’m forced on a daily basis, just like every other productive adult on the face of the earth, to make a series of decisions in order to effectively carry out the day. More recently, with my impending graduation becoming a reality, I have been forced to make a series of strategic financial, academic, and career moves in order to be productive in this next season of life. In my angst, I thought about all these recent developments, and the “lemons” life just would not stop bombarding me with. After intense thought and internal dialogue between myself and myself, myself said to myself “Hey, you happen to love lemons and lemonade, but what about prunes?”

 I rarely, besides my grandma, who utilizes prunes for medicinal purposes, hear anyone give praise and honor to the irresistible deliciousness of prunes or prune juice. What is it exactly, that prunes have been known to do for the human body? Well prunes have been known to be rich in a vast array of different vitamins and minerals. Among this myriad of healthy nutrients, is fiber. Anyone who has ever eaten anything rich in fiber knows good and well the force to be reckoned with on regulating one’s digestive system when dealing with power of prunes and prune juice. Prunes not only add nutrients to the body, but help to flush us out.

 The same can be said in regards to the many many perils of life. Like I said, Adam and Eve just couldn’t keep their little curious paws off the forbidden tree and its fruit, and thus life is hard for most people. We don’t want to work, and pay bills, but in doing so, we learn the value of work ethic, and responsibility. Kids hate cleaning their rooms, but, hopefully learn the importance of cleanliness. Lots of people hate math class, yet realize the need for math, minus all that unnecessary division which I’m never going to use, to carry out even the most basic of everyday functions.

Speaking from the I, I absolutely dread having to pay for the maintenance of my car, yet the trials suffered with my car have taught me the importance of financial stability and the need to save. Even in regards to managing emotions, life trauma, and everything else that comes along with the human experience. Life can be downright brutal at times. Some people suffer homelessness, hunger, poverty, sickness, and a slew of other hardships. Everyone has their own individual issues and our struggles differ. Whatever they may be these hardships we humans suffer serve to make us stronger, make us better. While combating with the issues of life, we learn, we adapt, and we grow.

It is my belief that the lemon/ lemonade  concept is too joyous an analogy and does life’s lessons a disservice. No, prunes, prunes, my dear Watson, are a more adequate analogy.

Though harsh on the tummy, they clean us out, and all the excess gets let go, leaving us healthier and more equipped than we were before.  The famous rapper, Ludacris, said in the remix of Usher’s 2002  hit “You Don’t Have to Call”, “Drink some prune juice and let that ish go”, and that, my friends is the beauty of life. Life, much like prune juice to the body, is about absorbing what you can from every experience, letting go of the extra, and thus developing the ability to ‘take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’, as the old folks would say.