My mom always told me, “The moment comes, when the moment chooses to.” but I never understood. Today the moment came. But I didn’t notice. When I noticed, it was too late. My heart started racing as I tried to keep it. I missed it. I had it in front of me, but it was taken away. “When the moment comes, you never know how long it’ll stay.” I kept hearing her repeat. The moment disappeared as soon as I hesitated. I wanted it to come back, but I knew that it wouldn’t.

“Sometimes life gives you lemonade, and you just have to drink it.” My mom is my role model. She always helps me solve my issues. Even when all she gives me is a saying, it always helps. Sometimes my mom tells me something that takes me days to figure out. But even that benefits my progress.

Three years go in the middle of my soccer game the moment came. I was right in front of the goal and everything froze. I knew exactly what to do. I prepared my shot. It was my last chance. We were tied and the whistle was already between the referee’s lips to end the game. The ball rolled into a bump and made a wild bounce. I watched as it got to the right height. I whipped my right leg into the center of the ball.

I watched it as it shot past the extended fingers of the diving goalkeeper. I blinked, and when I opened my eyes. I saw the ball strike the net and slowly settle on the ground. I sprinted away to celebrate and I pulled in the smell of adrenaline coming from the applauding crowd.

It was then when my mom’s clues reached me. “Sometimes life gives you lemonade, and you just have to drink it.” I took the moment as soon as it showed itself. I drank the lemonade and even though I know it was sour. It tasted as sweet as plain sugar.

“There is always someone for you to take care of.” My baby sist¬¬er sits on my arms while we wait patiently for my mom. I’m wearing ¬my warm sweatshirt, but I still feel the cold air going over my body. I look at my phone. There’s no way it is actually 64 degrees outside. More like -64. I place a kiss on her cold chubby cheeks and I press her to my warm body.
I look up as the sun hides behind the clouds. The freezing winds start up again. I wrap my jacket around her small, snug body. She smiles at me as I feel her relax. I see another car coming by. It’s an old Lincoln but the driver is driving it like it’s a Lamborghini. The car flies by at what feels like a hundred miles per hour. The wind from the car makes it even colder. My sister starts whimpering. I start singing her an old Israeli Lullaby.

Finally, I see my mom’s white Acura, the paint looks new after she washed it yesterday. I feel upset. She took so long to get here. “Sometimes life makes you wait. Be patient.” I remember she told me. I make myself think positively. She pulls up and my sister and I quickly jump into the car. I quickly turn on the heater and heat her hands. I wait until I see her feel warm before I warm my own hands.

Every day, I figure out more and more about life. My mom plays an immense role in helping me succeed with that. Every time something happens, even without telling her the conflict, she already knows what my hint will be. (I think she’s more or less a psychic). Sometimes I wonder, but “Sometimes life gives you lemonade, and you just have to drink it.”