When life gives you lemons

I once saw an ‘uplifting’, sanctimonious meme say: ‘When life gives you lemons, just make lemonade.’ Well, I’ve had enough lemons to make a man cry and the next lot I get I’ll squirt right in your eye.

‘You go girl! You got this!’ I know what that means. A flood from a broken down washing machine and a rapidly spreading damp patch on the wall that never gets fixed despite hundreds of calls.

But hold on, it’s fine. Here comes another to patronise hard-working, competent mothers: (Cue a big sigh) ’Life is tough, but so are you.’ I’ve had to be when there’s no-one to turn to.

Don’t forget ‘Hope is the only thing stronger than fear’. Rubbish! It’s hard work and child rearing year after year. Another thing making me strong, this is true, is reliance on me, not them and not you.

Who are these anonymous writers who dare to uplift or confirm my ability to care without leaning on memes that somebody wrote who, living in my shoes, would struggle to cope?

I play with and educate and cook for my kids. Then I fix the car when it hits the damn skids. I clean, work and study. I’m a mother of five. I’m knackered but have never felt more alive.

‘Everything’s better with a smile on your face,’ said someone who’s never set foot in my place. The reason I smile despite hard work and crying? No memes just having the heart of a lion.