Life is known for handing out lemons. I know this very personally because I consider myself to be a person with some of the worst luck ever. Like, I have the kind of luck that makes people think I broke an entire room full of mirrors while walking under a ladder and crossing an army of solid black cats.

For example, I went to the store in search of a particular brand of cereal, but found out that the store was out of stock... and when I traveled to another store, I found out that my cereal, that I have eaten for years, was now discontinued.

Or when I tried to fly to Hawaii with a study away class a few weeks ago, the name on my ticket was misspelled and I had to have special security clearance to get through.

Or when I spent two solid days studying for my history final only to get the exam and see the question is over the only topic I didn't look over.

Lemons.

Sometimes, though, the lemons are a lot bigger and so much more sour.

I got dumped on my birthday once. I got mono during finals week my senior year of high school and ended up missing a month's worth of school. I tried to drive home from Nashville before a blizzard and ended up getting caught in it.

And I used to get really bogged down by all my bad luck. I mean, lemons are pretty sour, and getting handed a lemon on the daily isn't really something that lifts your spirits. Getting a sour lemon when all you're craving is a sweet apple or pear is like getting sucker punched in the face when you were expecting a kiss.

So yeah, life gives you lemons. Sour, detestable, untimely lemons.

But it can also give you sugar and water if you're looking for it.

So my cereal isn't being made anymore? It's an opportunity to try something new. My ticket was misspelled? That made for a pretty funny story once I made it back home. I didn't do so hot on my history exam? I passed the class and learned a lot about how to study more effectively for the future.

These lemons that life handed me turned out to be little blessings of sweet lemonade. I got dumped on my birthday, but I learned that the guy wasn't the right guy for me. I got mono for a month, but I learned that I can make it through a lot of pain. I drove in a blizzard, but I'm a much better driver because of it.

It's hard to find the positives when your mouth is twisted up in sourness. It takes a deep breath, some stepping back, and maybe even some time to understand that life wasn't handing you just lemons, but the material to make something so much sweeter.

I know this upcoming semester is going to be filled with its own challenges and trials, as well as its fair share of lemons, but I'm going to get my positivity-pitcher ready to make the best kind of lemonade.