💡 Make a Virtue of Necessity
Definition: To make the best of things.
Originating from the time of Geoffrey Chaucer—yes, that literary giant we all vaguely remember from high school—this phrase has been around for centuries. Chaucer possibly coined it in English with his masterpiece, “The Knight’s Tale”: “Thanne is it wisdom, as it thinketh me, To maken virtu of necessitie.” (Translation for us modern folk: “When life gives you nonexistent 14th-century air conditioning, go outside and invent ice cream.”)
Synonyms:
- Make the best of it
- Turn lemons into lemonade
- Find a silver lining
- Spin straw into gold
Antonyms:
- Throw in the towel
- Give up the ghost
- Make a mountain out of a molehill
🤠 Heck, Even Some Related Gritty Proverbs:
- “Necessity is the mother of invention.” - Plato, a real smarty-pants on necessity.
- “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” - Dale Carnegie’s way of saying: “Stop pouting, start juicing!”
- “Every cloud has a silver lining.” - Because medieval people were also meteorologists, it seems.
Inspirational, Humorous Quote:
“If at first you don’t succeed, change the rules or cheat, but if that doesn’t work, make a virtue of necessity.” - A wise, unknown procrastinator with a knack for loopholes.
References in Literature, Songs, and Film:
Literature:
- “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe: Talk about making a virtue of necessity, the guy turned remote island living into quite the adventure.
- “Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen: Watch Elinor Dashwood make a virtue of not whacking everyone with her sensible fan.
Songs:
- “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” by Monty Python: A musical ode to making virtue out of … well, absurd necessity.
- “C’est La Vie” by B*Witched: A catchy 90s reminder to roll with it, baby, cos’ that’s just life.
Film:
- “Forrest Gump”: When life sped up like a box of chocolates, Forrest sure knew how to make virtues stick.
- “The Pursuit of Happyness”: Chris Gardner masterfully turns necessity into opportunity, thanks to grit and some serious charm.
May your days be filled with opportunities to make virtues of all necessities, and may laughter and wisdom guide your every step. Keep turning those lemons into the sweetest lemonade!
— Lucinda Cunningquill
