My boys love to have a lemonade stand.  I don’t think they’re in it for the money, I think they just like giving drinks to people.

We live in the middle of a quiet neighborhood on a road that people only drive on if they live in the neighborhood or know someone who does.  Because of this our front yard isn’t the best place for a lemonade stand.  That doesn’t stop them.  They set them up anyway.  I am always so grateful for the neighbors and anyone else who stops to buy lemonade from them.  It makes their day, and mine.

Several years ago when I was still single and in college I saw some kids selling lemonade.  I stopped to buy some and decided that every time I saw kids selling something on the side of the road I would stop and buy it.   And I did.  I rarely, if ever, drank the lemonade.  Once I paid for it I’d drive around the corner or out of view of the sellers and dump it out the window.  I wasn’t after a drink and you never know what’s in that stuff when kids make it.

One day I saw a lemonade stand and pulled up to it.  There on the table was a pitcher of lemonade and some ceramic cups.  Of course I didn’t notice this until I had already stopped and felt committed to buying a drink from these kids.  I gave them my money and watched as they handed me a mug of lemonade.  I sat there in my car trying to think of a way out of it but nothing came to mind that wouldn’t break a few kids hearts.  I took the mug, drank the lemonade, then gave them the mug back which they promptly filled up for the next lucky person who stopped to buy a drink.

I rethought my lemonade stand commitment that day.