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On Gratitude

My feet were cold from the icy pavement as I waited for the morning bus. The bitter winter was receding and I was working hard on gratitude.  I bent my head deeper into my scarf and saw a penny in the street.

I had just returned from a regional meeting of The Compassionate Friends in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  A presenter held up his ‘Pennies from Heaven’ and declared that signs from our loved ones are everywhere.  I wonder…

I picked up that penny and found my reading glasses.

I work on gratitude with some skepticism.  Was this a treasure or just a muddy little coin?  The date imprinted in the copper became clear—1983—the year my son was born.

Surprise and tears triggered by that date immediately washed across my face.  I no longer felt cold.  I meandered through memories of a day in July some 20+ years ago when I delivered that child.

“Collect yourself,” I said to myself under my breath. I might scare my mass transit bus mates. In the cold air I turned my face away from the others and watched my breath puff into icy clouds.

The bus appeared and I boarded with everyone else. I was a penny richer that day and grateful beyond measure for the treasure trove of memories that lay in my hand.

 

 

 

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Comments (1)

  • What a great story of our love ones always sending us signs and letting us know they are always with us! Thanks for sharing.

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