Gillian Monks

I made my Christmas cakes yesterday… one for the family, two to give to friends and another to decorate and cut at New Year. Not ‘Stir Up Sunday’ you might say. No, but the nearest I could get to it considering my other commitments.

I ended up with a couple of lemons from which I had grated the zest but which still needed squeezing to remove the juice, and decided to make lemonade with them for my husband and I to enjoy hot before bedtime. We only tend to think of lemonade as a summer beverage served with ice to cool us down but it is something my mother used to make for us when I was a child, and stand on the hearth by the fire in a big glass jug to keep warm. (Never allow to boil, of course, as this destroys all the beneficial Vitamin C.)

As I wound down towards bedtime I sat clasping my steaming mug of pale tangy liquid, fragrant with the scent of citrus and it suddenly struck me just how lucky I am… lucky because we have access to such fruit which is usually grown so far away, lucky that we can afford to buy it, lucky that I have the knowledge and ability to make such a drink, lucky that I can see, smell and taste it, and so on. Most importantly of all, lucky that I have close, loving family with which I can share it.

As I sipped my warmly comforting lemonade, I felt a decided glow spread throughout my being which was attributable to more than just the heat of the liquid.

How had such a simple action turned into an activity of revelation and gratitude and become a precious and sacred occasion?

This is the miracle of Life, I suppose, the realisation that even the most mundane action or event when viewed in a certain way, can become magical… and that our whole life is actually amazingly magical when seen from a positive perspective… if we allow ourselves the opportunity to do so.

Perhaps the necessary ingredients for this happy outcome lie in taking the time to stand back and contemplate… to take in what actually is. Couple that to the joy of the moment and a grateful heart and it is easier to see how it might come about.

Recipe for Homemade Lemonade: Zest and juice of a lemon, a pint of water and honey or sugar to taste – you may also roughly chop up the flesh of the lemon and/or add a pinch of citric acid if you wish but it is not necessary. Place all ingredients in a pan and warm gently, making sure that all the sweetening has completely dissolved. Put to one side and allow the lemon to steep in the warm liquid for a while before reheating (remember not to allow to boil) before straining into a warm jug to serve or pour straight into mugs.

What better way to chase away those cold and ‘flu bugs, give your immune system a boost and lift your emotions?