What do you do with your lemons?
From the lives of children come many of life’s inspirations!
One such story that has touched my heart is that of Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who was diagnosed just before her first birthday with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer.
In 2000, just after turning 4 years old, she informed her mother she wanted to start a lemonade stand to raise money for doctors to “help other kids, like they helped me.”
In spite of her own failing health, aided by her older brother, they held an annual “Alex’s Lemonade Stand for Childhood Cancer” on the family’s front lawn.
Her first lemonade stand raised $2000 and led to the creation of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and she continued her lemonade stands throughout her life, ultimately raising over $1 million toward cancer research. She passed away in August 2004 at the age of 8.
Today, Alex’s Lemonade Stand sponsors a national fundraising weekend every June called Lemonade Days. Each year, as many as 10,000 volunteers at more than 2,000 Alex’s Lemonade Stands around the nation make a difference for children with cancer. And it has raised over four million dollars.
Here’s some of what Alex had to say about herself in 2004, living life as normally as she could:
“I’m Alex, I’m 8 years old. I have Neuroblastoma and I raise money for pediatric cancer research with the help of other kids and grown ups.
My favorite colors are blue and purple.
My favorite food is French Fries.
I’m in 2nd grade.
My favorite part of school is everything.
My favorite book is The Little House on the Prairie Books.
What I want to be when I grow up is a fashion designer.
My favorite activity is making stuff and designing clothes.”
Remember that song Rex Harrison sang in “My Fair Lady” that said “Why can’t a woman be more like a man”?
My thought today is “Why can’t adults be more like children?”
It absolutely amazes me,
how compassionate and loving children can be.
And how strong and brave!
.
What do you see when you look into the eyes of a young child?
Are you, too, in awe of the wonder that they are?
Of the gift they are to the world? To us?
And what do you do with the lemons in your life?