Stand-ing for Something

My middle son, who lives on the West coast, was talking about seeing a lemonade stand where he lives.

Said son was lamenting because he wasn’t carrying cash when he spotted the stand and thus wasn’t able to offer any monetary support.

“I hate to not give them anything,” he told me.

I was surprised, not because he isn’t known for his generosity, but because he was so upset about it.

Then he explained:

He had been operating a lemonade stand in his dim and distant youth. (I’m sure I had something to do with it, though the details are a lot fuzzier for me than for him.)

Picture it, if you will. Little eight-year-old dwarfed by the table before him, flanked by paper cups, too-large pitcher of sparkling yellow juice but armed with a big grin and tons of enthusiasm. A large, hand-printed card is prominently displayed. ‘Lemonade: 25¢’.

A construction worker approached and asked for a glass. It was carefully poured and handed over. The man produced a five-dollar bill and passed it to the small boy, who promptly produced his little cash box and started to count.

“Never mind,” the man said. “Keep the change.” Smiling, he walked back up the street.

Leaving his little server staring at the bill, an incredulous – but happy – smile now covering his face.

That small boy never forgot that act of generosity.

And now, every chance he gets, he pays it forward. 

Husby and I were touched by his story.

The weather here in Northern Alberta has been just lovely. Warm. Sunny. Perfect for the little lemonade stands that periodically dot our town.

A couple of days ago, Husby and I spotted one. A brother and sister. Little budding entrepreneurs smiling hopefully at everyone who passed.

They were doing a brisk business.

We gave them all our change. It just seemed the right thing to do.

But even our little act of kindness was eclipsed by a story Husby and I watched last night on the evening news...

David Hove, 10, dreamed of earning enough money to buy an X-Box and had started a little muffin stand in front of his family home in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Nature called and he grabbed his cash box and made a quick trip into the house.

In the few minutes he was away, a white SUV pulled up and a man got out and helped himself to the boy’s table, cooler, stock and even his little water bottle.

David came out of the house to discover that his little dream had disappeared.

But the story went out through the neighbourhood and across the country.

And soon people were bringing donations to help him get on his feet again.

In almost less time than it took the thief to steal David’s dream, it was restored. 

In fact, someone came with a spanking new X-Box and handed it to the boy.

With a smile that could be seen across the country, David hugged his prize. When asked if he was going to stop selling now that he had achieved his goal, he replied, “Nope.”

“What are you going to save for now?” the interviewer asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe a car?!” David said, grinning.

Good luck, David. 

My faith in human kindness is restored.