The Girl Scout cookie time of year comes with many challenging questions.

How many boxes of Thin Mints will be needed to last all year?

Where will I hide the Thin Mints to ensure that they last all year?

What shall be my purchase ratio of Thin Mints to other Girl Scout cookie varieties?

How many boxes can I purchase before my wife begins to think that I have a problem?

What kind of cold soul can turn down a Girl Scout selling cookies?

Why must I live in such challenging times?

Faced with these mostly unanswerable questions, I was forced to try and sneak one more box of Thin Mints into the house.  Seeing me with my contraband, my wife questioned my purchase.  I was forced to use my final option.  Turn from the cookies and embrace the cause.

How could I pass that table of Girl Scouts, who are trying to learn entrepreneurial skills?

How could I not be part of the solution?

How could I not help build their self confidence?

How could I not help arm them to face gender equity issues?

How could I not play a part in closing the wage gap?

How could I not use the Power of the Thin Mints to help make another crack in the Glass Ceiling?

Really, when you think about it, my cookie purchase is less about feeding my addiction and more about enabling future generations to create meaningful change.  Yes, I truly do believe all that, I had just never thought of my cookie purchase that way before.

Yes, I had also played my final hand.  My final box of cookies for the year has been purchased.  Now, I can taste mint, chocolate, and pride all at once, because I’ve done a lot more good than just purchasing a box of cookies, I’ve helped make the world a better place.  Savor that delicious thought for a while.