Keep the Change

Remember when you were a kid and you held a lemonade stand on the curb in front of your house or at the end of your street? Maybe it was you and your siblings, or perhaps you “partnered” up with some local kids from the neighborhood.

I remember my brothers and I hosted many Kool-Aid stands at the end of our driveway on the corner of Elmwood and Tremont.

Back then, we were probably selling cups of hastily made, under-mixed drinks for a quarter. Heck, it might have even been a nickel or a dime.

The “ultimate score” was when a passerby stopped to patronize us and left a tip.

“Keep the change, kid,” they would say as they handed us a dollar bill and drove off.

I remember one neighbor once gave us a $5 bill and didn’t even want the Kool-Aid.

I’m not sure what we spent the money we earned on, but it was probably something like comic books or candy. You know, kid stuff…because, well, we were kids.

Now, any time I see kids holding a lemonade stand, I try to pull to the curb and excitedly order a cup of their concoction. I never ask for change and often leave a few extra dollars for the kids and wish them luck with their sales.

It’s fun to walk back to the car and listen to the giggles and squeals of excitement the young entrepreneurs always seem to have with their unexpected good luck and quick profit.

Trading Lemonade for Lessons Learned

This past weekend, my youngest nephew reached out to ask me a favor. He’s a sophomore at the University of Florida, the same school I attended some forty years ago.

It turns out one of his classes assigned homework to the students to reach out to a UF alum and ask about their career, how they got started, and what they feel were some of the keys to their success.

Of course, I was happy to help. I always love to reminisce about my college days, and I’m always willing to share advice with anyone courageous enough to ask for it.

I don’t think the assignment was asking for a long answer or résumé from the alumni participants, but I started answering the questions and, before I knew it, I had typed up about ten paragraphs. (They were short.)

I found myself excited to share some of the stories that happened between my college graduation and my current career activities.

I hope my nephew gets a good grade on his assignment.

I know I drove away feeling like I left a “little extra” for the kid to enjoy.

So let me ask you a question.

Who can you help this week?

And maybe, if you’re feeling generous, give them just a little bit more than they were expecting.