Lemonade

Hey Neighbor!

Welcome back to THE NEIGHBORHOOD!  This week’s story is about making the most of a bad situation.  I like to think of it as taking lemons and turning them into lemonade.  

I truly believe that angels can be found in the most unlikely of places.  They don’t even have to be your family or friends. 

They can be complete strangers.  

I am on a children’s theatre national tour and we are heading out on a travel day to our next stop. 

As I head out to the van to put my luggage in the back,

I notice that our spot is empty. 

I walk around the hotel parking lot and can’t find our thirteen passenger van anywhere.  The police are called and a few hours later they find our van and it’s pretty much empty.  Our costumes, sets and sound equipment are gone.  And we still have a month left for the tour. 

The next venue is called and they want us to still perform.  “Ok, we’ll do a concert version.”  “No,” they tell us. 

“We want you to do the whole show, we’ll get everything you need.”  

We leave the hotel absolutely exhausted, defeated and heartbroken and start the travel day to this small college in the middle of Texas.  The people who took our van left one thing behind.  It was the set piece that looked like the top of the covered wagon that our characters traveled in during the play.  That’s it. 

We couldn’t help but laugh at that. 

When we arrive at the college, carrying that one little set piece, we are greeted with warm hugs and kindness. 

They bring us backstage and show us all that they had gathered for our show.  The entire town banded together to find everything, including a violin from the local librarian.  It’s a community effort and we are blown away!  The give us costumes to wear, and our show looks absolutely beautiful with their set design.  The show gets to go on, and we get the opportunity to celebrate a community that opened up their arms to a group of strangers. 

Our gratitude knows no bounds.  

This experience teaches me that sometimes bad things happen, and its completely out of our control.  However, people are willing to help.  They want to help!  And if you let them, you will encounter angels.  I am so grateful for those angels who helped us turn those lemons into sweet lemonade. 

Okay, Neighbor, your turn.  Who are the angels in your life?  When have you had the opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade?  

I look forward to hearing your stories.  

I’ve Got You in My Pocket,

Jackie Ostick 

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