“Last day of Zone 5 Master Class! Thanks Mark McIntosh for stopping by with your always inspirational messages! We're gonna turn lemons into margaritas!!”
This simple dude from Missouri cherishes each moment when opportunity presents itself to deliver an encouraging Pep Talk about this game we call life. Recently, such an opportunity arose in Denver and drew the referenced testimonial, posted to Facebook, from one of the leaders of the staffing company.
Lemons into Margaritas. It was the title of my third book of inspirational short stories. The title came from an interview co-host Denise Plante and I did several years ago during time together hosting “Colorado & Company.” It’s a show Denise still hosts - my job was eliminated - on Denver’s NBC affiliate, Gannett-owned KUSA-TV. It’s a weekday morning show geared toward women and businesses that want viewers to purchase their products/services.
Anyway, one day two brothers appeared to promote their book, “Honeymoon With My Brother.” It’s the story of a man who had dated a women for ten years. For him, it was love at first sight. But for the female, the decade-long relationship had been a roller coaster. A successful businesswoman, career oriented and somewhat relationship phobic, had broken off the union more than once. Finally, after ten tumultuous calendar turns, the couple decided to marry.
Family and friends flew in from all over the world to California’s wine country. “They’re finally getting married!” was the rallying cry from those who gathered from near and far. Bliss was present everywhere. For a brief spell.
The night before the wedding, the bride-to-be’s feet turned cold. She called it off. Groom is devastated. Brother and best-man-to-be says, “The heck with her. We’ve got all these loved ones gathered, the party must go on!” Later, in an admitted inebriated state, jilted groom invites brother to visit Costa Rica for what was supposed to be a honeymoon getaway. It turned into a brother bonding journey triggering each to quit job and travel the world together for two years.
Boom! A book is born and dynamic duo hit the speaking/book-selling circuit. Through a good publicist, Franz and Kurt Wisner land on the set of “CoCo” to entertain Denise and your scribe with hilarious stories of their exploits.
For the guys, one particular moment stood out and spawned the title of this knucklehead’s third attempt to encourage others with stories of hope. At a book signing, an elderly woman, after receiving her copy, bores into Franz, the once-devastated man, this gem: “Sonny, you didn’t turn lemons into lemonade, you turned lemons into margaritas!”
Have your plans been waylaid? Home? Work? Elsewhere? It happens.
A staffing company heard the story as a reminder. It was too early in the day to raise anything but coffee, juice or water to toast this sober truth: Life hands us lemons, becomes shaken and stirred. Too often with rocks and salt. It requires courage and creativity as a mixologist.
Good luck this week!
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