Pennies

I often ponder the value of pennies -- worth so little these days. When I was a child (probably dating myself now, aren't I?), a penny could purchase a stamped post card at the post office or bubble gum as well as a myriad of other items. I think my favorite candy bar was five pennies! Now a penny won't even cover the sales tax and I'm always trying to spend pennies so my coin purse won't be full of them.

A couple of weeks ago when my daughter and I were taking her two younger children to a morning children's concert in a local park, we were walking with them from the parking lot to the concert setting. My daughter was a little ahead and had her 5 year old daughter with her. I was walking behind with her 3 year old son and he became upset because he'd seen some money on the ground and we'd walked past it.

Well, the four of us made a detour back but couldn't find the money so I told him when we were situated on our blanket, I'd find some money in my coin purse for him. Of course, as often happens with siblings, his sister also wanted some money. When I opened my coin purse, I only had four pennies so I divided the coins between them. My granddaughter immediately began talking about going to the mall to spend her pennies and my daughter and I (thinking we'd greatly disappoint her) had to let her know that she really wouldn't be able to buy anything at the mall with two pennies.

Oh, the resilience and wonder of children! We'd forgotten about the fountain located in the middle of the mall where you can toss coins to benefit charities. Both grandchildren knew exactly where they were going to "spend" their pennies -- in the fountain.

Wouldn't it be nice to retain that small child excitement and delight as adults to enable us to see the wonder and positive in all situations!

pazt