Labor Day and Lemonade

So what do Labor Day and lemonade have in common? Well, that depends. Depends upon where you take your afternoon stroll on any given Labor Day.

This afternoon I took a casual “Labor Day” stroll around my neighborhood. I always enjoy seeing friends and family get together on holidays, listening to the sound of their pool parties, and enjoying the overall festive nature as neighbors celebrate. It makes be grateful that I have a job and live in a country that celebrates labor and hard work. God bless this country of ours!

Labor Day is usually warm and muggy and today was no exception. It was warm enough that most sane people were either inside their air-conditioned homes or casually relaxing poolside. But not I. I was out for a walk and my t-shirt was already drenched in sweat as I made my final turn to head homeward. As I approached my street corner, I noticed a small gathering at the top of the street. There appeared to be three or four kids standing at the corner. And each of them had umbrellas.

What were kids doing outside on a warm, muggy day like today? Didn’t they know, there is no school on Labor Day? Didn’t they have the latest X-box or some other form of social media waiting for them in their nice, cool, air-conditioned homes? And what were they doing outside with umbrellas?

As I got closer to the gathering, one of the kids (the ring-leader no doubt) approached me with an umbrella in one hand and a cup in the other hand as she casually stated the obvious, “You look sweaty. Would you like a cup of lemonade?” Turns out, I had stumbled across a Lemonade Stand. I had stumbled across a group of four entrepreneurial young middle schoolers who decided to host this Lemonade Stand on a warm, muggy Labor Day instead of relaxing inside their cool, air-conditioned homes. On a warm day like today, they definitely understood the fundamentals of “supply and demand”.

Now I have to admit, I am a sucker for young entrepreneurs and their lemonade stands. I’m impressed, even encouraged, that four young middle schoolers would choose to host a lemonade stand on a warm, muggy day like today instead of relaxing inside where its cool and comfortable. With all the craziness and negativity floating around social media and the news these days, its easy to get discouraged and a little sour on life. But when life deals you lemons, all it takes is four young entrepreneurs and a Lemonade Stand to put a smile back on my heart and remind me that there is always hope. You just have to remember where and in whom your hope resides.

Oh, and the lemonade offer? Yes, I purchase a cup of lemonade. I also purchased several rubber band bracelets. Turns out these girls had several products that they were marketing. And when I paid my four entrepreneurs, I told them to keep the change. In exchange, I asked them to each do something nice for their mom or dad without being asked to do it. If mom and dad helped to raise young, ambitious, courteous entrepreneurs like these, they deserve a little love in return! Don’t they?

Happy Labor Day. May God bless you and our wonderful country!