I Drank The Lemonade

http://elitedaily.com/life/infidelity-empowered-lemonade/1475015/

So, in case you hadn't heard, or don't reside on planet Earth, Beyoncé broke the Internet with the recent release of her visual album, Lemonade.

After the release of an ominous teaser trailer that gave away nothing but hinted at much, much more, millions of fans (and likely even haters) flocked to watch her latest experiment - an artistic, visual album experience interlaced with poetry and music - unfold on Saturday night. The world sat back and soaked up every minute of the hour-long peek into Mrs. Carter's personal life, witnessing as her diary was thrown open for all to read the pages and footnotes at their leisure. Beyoncé and Jay-Z are normally very discreet - almost stingy - with details of their personal life, so to be allowed into something so private, so intimate, so raw, is just a treat that is hard to resist (and not watch on repeat). Social media has exploded with theories; many argue that this is just another well-executed ploy by the Carters, and their marriage was never in danger. Jay and Bey are just as in love as ever, sitting atop their thrones, laughing all the way to the bank as the success of Lemonade continues to explode. The release of Bey's athletic line, Ivy Park, was also announced not too long ago, coincidentally; there is no doubt that sales are sure to skyrocket.

Perhaps she is just THAT good and this is all just a dark fairy-tale spun from music and visual imagery into the gold of a convincing tall-tale. 

However, I can't help but think that there is truth behind her story; the details and the emotions are far too accurate.

Uncomfortably accurate, and far too relatable.

I, too, was once a character in my very own nightmare; there was a Becky with the good hair, though she answered to another name (and she definitely didn't have good hair). I was captivated and awed by the visual imagery Beyoncé used to describe the 11 stages from grief to rebirth; illustrating how the pain of betrayal seeps into every crack, causing a once confident woman to break under the guise of deemed unworthiness.

"Are you cheating on me?" she gasps out, as the water fills her lungs, rendering her breathless...

Some describe it as too dark. Not me.

2009 was my Lemonade, though I wish I had looked half as fierce as Beyoncé while I wore my pain.

Crazy, jealous, unworthy, stupid, feeble, weak, broken, ruined. Those were my stages.

Pain is dark; heartbreak is dark. Betrayal is the darkest.

Betrayal forever changes you as a person. You will heal, but you will not forget. When someone that you love, that you trusted, betrays you, it's a swift punch to the stomach that one never quite recovers from. The breath that gets knocked out of your lungs is replaced by something much heavier, and it becomes harder to inhale. Betrayal takes you to a very dark place, and nightmares take different shapes.

There are lots of Beckys with the good hair in the world.

Bey showed us that even she is beautifully, darkly human, and emotion really knows no logic. Lemonade perfectly illustrates the beauty and the pain that is love; none of us are exempt.

My marriage did not survive, nor did it ever have a chance. My nightmare did have a happy ending, as I grew exponentially stronger as a person from having experienced what I did; it just took time to appreciate the value of the lessons I learned. The pain I once wore is now a badge of strength.

As for Bey, it appears she has chosen to forgive Jay and allow their relationship to experience a rebirth.

"Until we have seen someone's darkness, we don't really know who they are. Until we have forgiven someone's darkness, we don't really know what love is." Marianna Williamson

Whether you loved Lemonade, or you're sick of hearing of the music mogul's latest move, there's one thing that is for certain: Beyoncé Gisele Knowles-Carter is a smart, strong icon of a woman, not to mention marketing genius. A survivor of betrayal, she has risen through the depths of her heartbreak to share her message and empower others that feel broken. As usual, Bey forces us to look in the mirror and remember how flawless we are; we are more than worthy. We are strong, we are beautiful.

Long live the Queen.