The Gift of Pennies. Be a Penny to Someone

“So don’t pass by that penny, when you’re feeling blue. It may be a penny from heaven, that an Angel has passed to you.”.

Charles Marshburn

This is an older musing, it came to mind when certain events unfolded in my life. While visiting my brother, I thought I had contracted food poisoning. I went home as planned, extremely nauseous but thought, “I’ll just go home and rest.” About one hour into my plane ride home, my heart rate was super-super high. I never get nervous flying, I have done it many, many times. I decided to take my pulse, it was 150. My hands were shaking and I got very dizzy.

There were “Pennies” all around me on my flight

The flight attendant noticed my distress and came right over. I told her I thought I had food poisoning. Because of the food poisoning I had not been able to take my blood pressure medicines earlier that day. A quick administration of my blood pressure, well, it was very high. At that point, the flight attendants quickly asked if there was a doctor on board. The doctors were very nice, but they insisted that we get my heart checked immediately. So much to my embarrassment and distress, they landed the plane. An EKG was administered, my heart was fine. They started taking my vitals, etc.. Long story short, I had contracted a virus and I was dehydrated. After IV fluids and other meds, I was able to go home. 

Why and old musing about pennies? 

Two days before leaving I had found 4 pennies on the ground heads up. I swiftly picked them up and thanked God for pennies from heaven. Perhaps it meant something, perhaps not. But those pennies got me through the embarrassing and scary time. 

A Penny is rarely, if ever used these days. 

A penny is rarely if ever used these days.  This is the time of digital currency.  I can’t help but confess that I get a small feeling of giddiness when I find a penny on the ground.  I always pick it up.  My mother used to tell me that when I found a random penny it meant that God was thinking about me, or an Angel had passed my way.  Each time I found that penny I would look up in the sky and say a small prayer of thanks. Before life was more cashless, I can remember many situations where that penny enabled me to make the purchase that I needed to make.  I often think of the song, “Pennies From Heaven” sung by Louis Prima. 

How can I be a penny to someone?

If we were to take that concept into human life, how can you be a penny to someone?  Recently, my husband and I attended a funeral for a woman who had a long and fulfilling life.  She gave her “pennies” to children in her area.  During the quite amazing Methodist little old lady grief celebration-buffet… Okay, let me take a moment to explain this phrase. In the South the little church ladies and gentlemen put out an absolutely fabulous spread of casseroles, friend chicken, home baked cakes, etc. My mother referred to it as the “Grief Buffet.” We partook of the generous life celebration of food.

A penny may not be much, but its worth is very, very much.

After the funeral, my husband and I sat beside a school teacher.  As our conversation continued, he shared with us that recently he had a former student come to him and thank him.  He was perplexed and asked, “Why?” She said that one day she came to school for “one last time” before going home to commit suicide.  He saw that she was forlorn and took her aside to say, “I see that you are down, you are worth it, you are smart, you are a great student to me.” She shared that these simple words changed her mind about committing suicide that day.  Basically, she is alive because he took a few moments to tell her that she was deserving.  Such a small gesture, but he was a penny to her that day.  Never underestimate how much your words mean to someone else who is struggling.  Be a penny.  Give a little. Those deposits will climb over time and spill over onto others.  

Who were my pennies that eventful day?

My sons. They held my hand. The Flight Attendants. They saw my discomfort. The two wonderful doctors on board that despite my protests, I get myself checked out. Finally, the First Responders that saw to my needs. Each one was a wonderful shiny penny. The four pennies that I mentioned earlier? Maybe that was pennies from heaven letting me know that God wants us to give and be pennies. 

A Poem About Pennies

Pennies. 

Most people overlook these small coins.

After all, what does one cent mean to anyone?

A penny can’t buy you much.

But a penny can help you in a crunch.

A penny may be the one cent that you need, to pay for a purchase of the items you need.  

A penny can help a fellow human to get the last few coins to make an otherwise impossible purchase. 

A penny may be an antiquated notion today, but let’s think about the penny and what it was meant to convey.

Some used to ask, “A penny for your thoughts?” To inquire about  a person who looked pensive and did not have the desire to share their struggles of life.

So be like a penny each and every day.  You could contribute to their life in a small way. 

To uplift, to propel, to encourage each person to reach their full potential, their shiny penny that they are intended to be.  

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