I love getting to know my kids as people. They are so much more than just the cumulative components we put into them. They have things you give them: traits, genes, braids, vocabulary words like "bagpipe" and "viva la vida"; but then they also have things that are strictly their own. Entrepreneurial spirit, in Arden's case. I did not give her this. I have none of this. I, in fact, take comfort in my weakness as a saleswoman. I worked at American Eagle one summer: I came home with a closet full of clothes, an in-store credit card bill, and no paycheck to speak of. Thanks Dad. I still owe you.I digress.
One day while Suzy and I colored on the sidewalk, Arden dug out the electric juicer, brought it out on the porch and said, "Mom, I need to do a lemonade stand." "What?!" I respond. "A lemonade stand, I need to make one," she repeats. "Okay Arden, maybe on Saturday." Three days later at Costco, "Mom, the lemons for my lemonade stand! Over there!" Sure enough, there they were, and there again, was her persistent desire to sell lemonade. When Saturday came around, she noticed the perfectly warm weather, the perfectly ripe lemons and again reminded me of her business proposition. So we made it happen. I set up a table and some chairs outside and helped her design a poster. My little entrepreneur juiced, stirred, poured, sat, smiled, bartered, hustled, and sold lemonade till we'd gone through our entire supply. She even shouted down the street once to some passersby: "Hey you guys, come buy some lemonade!" And they did. After an hour of dedicated business dealings, she closed up shop and felt good about her hard day's work. Then she paid her tithing. I wish I could say I taught her an important lesson that day, but it really was all her doing. It's amazing what's inside these little people we think we know everything about. Refreshing on so many levels.
Some of our VIP customers:
Maybe someday I can grow up to be just like her.