By Rosie Preston
Every day, I wonder if I will ever feel wise. I think I’ve reached the Golden Years, and I’m remembering the days when children listened to their elders and didn’t question a word. I’ve found my children will listen and roll their eyes. They don’t believe that my memories have any value. Sometimes they will answer me with advice, and I often learn from them.
Just a few weeks ago, someone sent me an e-mail about the value of a penny. Since then, I’ve changed my perception of the one cent coin. When I was a child, my grandmother bought me a white purse covered with a penny print. She told me to fill it up with pennies because they were a good luck charm. I did, and the purse soon was heavy. It was difficult to save a penny, as local stores sold penny candy.
Life was simpler back then. A penny is still a penny, but the value bought more back then than it does in today’s world. It was also a time when no one would question the words inscribed on it – IN GOD WE TRUST.
Those words in today’s world are often disliked, but many of my friends count them as a blessing, because they are a reminder that we live in a country that is free and no one has stopped us from worshipping the God of our choice.
Maybe there is a bit of wisdom I can pass along as I connect this story about an e-mail, a penny and the wisdom of a grandmother. Just one small penny seems insignificant. A penny can be a real bother after saving many. A penny purse may be a burden as the pennies be-come heavy and represent much value.
We are like that. We feel big, we feel powerful, sometimes we feel wealthy and successful, and yet we all share the same fate. Just as the ant has a short life when compared to ours, our lives are short when compared to eternity. You may consider a penny anyway you choose. Think of the many lessons that one penny brings. I’m reminded of another wise saying – “Find a penny, pick it up and all day long you’ll have good luck.”
There probably are other quotes I could find about the penny. I have a couple of favorites, including “Finders keepers, loser’s weepers” and “a penny saved is a penny earned.” You may choose to perceive the penny as a blessing or might toss it away as something that has little value.
Keep Smiling, Rosie
This article was originally published on Nov 8, 2017.