Bitter or Better?

“You can be bitter or you can be better.” – Alice Zahnow

I love getting a slice of lemon or lime with my iced water. Once I asked for a water with lime and the waiter brought out a water with a strong shot of lime essence. It surprised me and was extremely bitter. I couldn’t drink it. Thankfully the table was equipped with some sugary sweeteners. Suddenly, the bitter water turned into a delightful drink.

So much of the time, what you bring to a situation makes all the difference. Imperfect things with a positive ingredient can become something even better. As we have been traveling and celebrating my mother-in-law’s life, it occurred to me that one of her favorite sayings applies to so much of life, “You can be bitter or you can be better”. Disappointment, loss, change, hurts, worries and fears can all become opportunities to become better. The crucial ingredient is you. I recognize that we are experiencing a lot of change in our lives, family and work. How you react, the attitude you bring, the faith you have, the actions you take, all determine your destiny, how we do as a people and the impact you can make on the world.

We only have a tiny amount of years on this planet. Don’t waste it. Things happen to or around us all the time. We can be bitter, or we can be better. You only need to change the “I”.