Joke

It's amazing how easily a facade of normalcy crumbles at the mere sight of a familiar face.

Sometimes we go through periods of difficulty and strife that leave us terrified and scarred and utterly confused and even unwilling to move on. There can even be times when it seems everything is in a state of suspended animation as we are bomabarded by questions like, "how could this have ever happened to me?", or "why is this happening to me?" or thoughts like, "this could not possible be happening!" or "this is all just a bad dream and I need to wake up!", but even after you open your eyes, the truth just blatantly stares you in the face in all its utter monstrosity. It is real. It is happening. It is happening TO YOU!

Such can prove traumatic for anyone. It wouldn't matter if you're a trooper extraordinaire or just an average joe. Circumstance has an uncanny way of finding the smallest chink in even the strongest armor.

Is anyone safe? Is anyone immune to the caprices of fickle fate?

We are often taught that when life throws you lemons, make lemonade, sell it for a quarter a glass and keep the proceeds in a piggy bank. The more lemons, the more lemonade. The more lemonade, the more quarters. The more quarters, the richer you become. Bring it to a roll and soon enough you'll be a millionaire!

Hah! Lemons and millionaires! What a joke!

Yes, life and living it is the greatest adventure of all. But sometimes you simply find yourself way over your head and you wonder where in the world is the reset button.

If only it were that easy.