The Pencil Case And The Lemonade Stand

🍋 Leo’s Lemonade: How Loss Became a Lesson in Integrity

One afternoon, my son came home from school, his eyes watery and voice barely audible.

“Mom… all my money is gone. I went to the bathroom, and when I got back, my pencil case was empty.”

He’d been saving that money for weeks—doing chores, skipping treats—each coin hard-earned. Now it had vanished.

I didn’t push him to report it. I know how these things go; by the time you say something, blame is already flying.

Instead, I said, “Let’s think of something new.”

He looked up, confused. “New?”

“Remember that project we talked about this summer? Let’s get started now.”

He was silent, the hurt weighing on him.

“I just want my money back,” he whispered.

“I know, love. But sometimes, we don’t get what we lost. Instead, we create something even better.”