Lemon Aide

Lemons from a neighbor.
So who are our neighbors...if ya do it to the least of these you have done it unto me

You know some folks go looking to make lemon aide.
I saw (last year) a neighbor's tree heavy with lemons.
Boldly my hand did knock upon the door of a stranger.
I asked them if they might be looking to find a home for some their lemons.
I instantly made a friend.
I had extended my hand.
They freely oped their hand to me, and with a day or two several bags of lemons awaited me on the bench in front of that home.

My hand (ample with a skill) made for the woman of that home, a necklace.
One morning as her husband entered his car in their driveway I pulled up and handed him the gift.
I told him how much I appreciated the lemons.
He said "oh yes she told me about you"
He said "this is so beautiful, you did not have to do this"
As I told him "I did not do this because I had too, it was done because I wanted to."

So again I saw them on the night of Halloween, and my children had a thirst.
He recognized me.
I introduced him to the family.
Dash had a very great thirst, and we were a ways from home.
I asked the man if my son might have a drink of water.
With joy he happily gave us each a small bottle of water.

This week the tree, again, a year later now bore fruit.
As instructed prior I left my calling card with a note "Lemons ?".

I stopped a few hours later when retuning to the neighborhood and tapped on the door.
She told me when to return and I had done so Sunday.
There were no lemons there so I set down a hand made cabochon necklace boxed as a gift on the bench.
I received a call shortly there after.
She had readied lemons for my family, was soon to call me when she saw the box on the bench.
Again telling me it was unnecessary to do so.
I spoke to her of the story of the stone, and the way the piece had come about. Telling her of the story of the old man who had made the stone.

The children and I returned for the lemons
They carried them for me to the truck.
They saw the elder husband still picking, and greeted him over the wall with gratitude.

So... you know some people go a looking for lemons for the bitter taste is rather a seemingly pleasing taste to them.
Like strife, gossip, slander, exclusions or divisions.

Some go rather...
to looking for lemons rather than to stand by while they rot upon a tree
They sweeten the bitterness with the kindness toward a neighbor, a loved one, friend or even perhaps ones own enemy.
In return the kindness flows now a stream between us.
Just like sharing a nice cold refreshing glass of lemon aide.
It takes some effort to turn them into something that can wet an others thirst.

You may never know when life might give ya opportunity for a bushel of lemons.
May we remember to turn it into a sweetness that brings out the balance of all things tart.

We all gotta be looking up the trees are a ripe for the pickin'
To those who have ears...

A kind heart brings this to view another way
over here

By the way that bag is full of oranges and more lemons that were left on a table in the teachers lounge. By days end no one had taken them , so I received them.
ask and it will be....