Lemons and Lemonade

When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.

It's one of the best cliches. Trite? Of course. An eye-roller when someone says it during a talk in church? Definitely. Wise? Absolutely.

I believe in making lemons out of lemonade. The therapists call it cognitive restructuring. I call it living life in a way so you don't want to bang your head against the wall.

Insomnia

It's almost 5:00 a.m. I've been awake since 3:00. A.M.

I hate insomnia. Why is it that at 3:00 in the morning I can't stop thinking about bills and taxes? Why is the witching hour of 3:00 the time my sons' lives and choices niggle at me? Why is 3:00 a.m. the time to worry about work, make dieting plans, and schedule my week?

I know all the typical answers. I'm married to someone who specializes in sleep, for heaven sake. I know the textbook explanations and answers. I've written articles on sleep, and two major book proposals. But at 3:00 a.m. the easy, tidy answers don't matter. The dark folds around me, while thoughts of broccoli, bills, and backaches scamper around my brain like unwanted nocturnal predators.

Fortunately, I don't have insomnia every night. It's just an occasional, irritating visitor, like an aunt with bad breath. I sympathize with people who fear going to bed every night, knowing they'll be awake at 3:00 to greet their own nasty aunt. Facing the old bitty a few times a month is bad enough.

But, enough for now. It's time to get up!