Value of a Penny

When we were little, my brother and I would visit Grandma and Grandpa Leasure with Mom.  We'd start in the kitchen, usually with a combination of hugs, milk and cookies, then mom and Grandma would get to talking... and we'd sneak off.  One of our favorite things to do was "quietly" make our way up the old white farmhouse's very narrow and very steep staircase...

I emphasize "quietly" because those steps were also very squeaky, no matter how hard we tried to be silent...

Anyway, when we finally reached the top of the steps there were several choices.  There was a "junk room", the one little bathroom of the house (keep in mind ~ seven kids + two adults had to share it!), a linen closet, and several bedrooms that used to be my mom, aunt and uncle's.

In one of those upstairs bedrooms... one immediately to the left, there was a jar of pennies.  Wait...let me rephrase... a HUGE jar of pennies.

I don't know for sure who's they were, but they always impressed my brother and me.  We'd question each other... "How many pennies do you think are in there?  How much do you think that thing is worth?  Is it too heavy to carry down the stairs, if we both work together?"  I don't think that last one would've ended well...

Even little pennies add up.  In our world where it's all about dollars and no cents (feel free to substitute 'sense') pennies seem to have lost their value.  Who bends down to pick up pennies anymore?

 Well, me for one.  

You see, my Dad has a wise saying that goes something like this:

"If you don't bend down to pick up pennies, 

don't expect to find any quarters just lying around." 

I like to think of his saying in another sense...

"If you don't pause to notice the little blessings, 

don't expect to see the big ones either."

Take time to appreciate even the smallest blessings in your life... the perfume of a pretty flower, a baby's giggle, a goodnight kiss ~ hugs, milk and cookies... I know you'll soon realize how richly blessed you are ~ regardless of how much money is in your wallet.  Oh, and next time don't overlook the value of that shiny penny on the pavement.  Pick it up, and...who knows, maybe you'll start finding quarters...