Pennies

It's funny how sometimes a simple project can lead you down the road of memories and musings. I was going through a change jar looking for pennies from a specific year for a project. I doubted that I would find any and I was pleasantly surprised when I started pulling them out. What I was even more surprised by was the huge variation in years that was represented just by the pennies in my jar.

I found pennies from the year I graduated from high school. Pennies from the year I was born. Pennies from the year Mark was born, and my siblings, my kids and my Mom. Wheat pennies from the war. Basically every decade from the 40s to the present was represented. Some were worn and dark. I thought about how many people must have handled that penny over the years. (Yes I washed my hands when I was done.) Maybe they were used by kids buying candy or a Mom buying bread. Or maybe for a movie, or a carnival ride, or a puppy. Others were surprisingly shiny leading me to suspect they had spent time hanging out in a piggy bank.

We are all connected by things big and as small as a penny. I have thought about that a lot the last few days. The pennies didn't care about politics, or status or religion or race or ethnicity. They held the same value for everyone no matter if they're shiny or worn. I think the simple penny has a lot to teach us about accepting people at face value. I often fail at that but I now carry a penny in my pocket to remind myself that today I may be used for one thing by life and tomorrow another and no matter how big or small, we all play a part.

Deep thoughts from a penny. Or maybe I was just creatively avoiding a chore. Take it as you will. :). Have a great evening.