Heather and I "believe in", "follow", "get comfort from".....whatever you want to call it.....Pennies From Heaven. The basic premise is that when you find a penny, it was sent from a loved one in Heaven. We started talking about it after Granny died. I'd find a penny and would announce "Granny sent me a penny!" Heather would do the same. Then after my Aunt Barbara passed, we kind of alternated who we thought sent it. At this time, Heather, please correct me if I'm wrong, we'd find a penny about once a month.....or less. Of course, in financially hard times, I swear they would send quarters and even a dollar once.
Then my daddy.....Heather's "Pa" died. I remember having a conversation once....how will we know if the penny is from Pa, Granny, or Barbara. In my recollection, it was within an hour that I found a penny....and it was rough around the edges. Well, as we all know, boys are less polished than girls. So, that was my answer....Pa's pennies would be, in some way, "rough around the edges".
That's the background story. I think I can speak for Heather when I say the number of pennies we find nowadays is amazing. I average one a day. Now I am aware there are some skeptics that might reason that pennies have very little value these days, so people dispose of them, and I find them. But I know better. My reasoning.....yes, there is no surprise that there is a penny on the floor at check-out lines at Walmart. But...why did I just HAPPEN to wind up at that particular line....when I was having a stressful day....and needed a reminder that life is good? More amazingly, why did we once all pile into an SUV with friends at Philmont Scout Ranch....drive deep into the camp....pull over to see the lake....and there on the ground is a penny.....rough around the edges. Why did we stop right there?
So, Heather, my droplet....here is today's story. I am in Abilene for training. Decided to drive a different route to the hotel. I find myself driving up Sayles and of course I love the beauty of the greenery and the old houses. My mind wanders. Oh, how I would love to drive to Ma and Pa's house and knock on the door to surprise them. I could imagine Pa's smile. His booming voice. The hugs. A time in the past when he was still on earth. The tears flowed. I let myself CRY for a split second. Composed myself. Drove past the house, vacant, and headed on to the hotel.
I knew I needed to get gas. So I'm driving towards the general mall area, trying to figure out if I wanted to get the gas now or when I go to grab dinner..... Where should I stop, I should pay attention to price, make it easy......these were thoughts in my head. Then I suddenly changed lanes and turned into a gas station on the LEFT side of the road. You know how I like to get in the lane I'll be turning out of and not change lanes? Well, this was not the lane I was going to be turning out of. So I chastise myself for turning, knowing I'll have to pull out in traffic from both directions afterward. I put the car in park. I get out. Wipe the drying tears off my cheek from earlier.....and there is a penny on the ground. A rough-around-the-edges penny from Pa telling me all is fine and he loves me.
Then, of course, I see your post. And the tears came. Again.
Love you, droplet!
Oh...and once I was walking somewhere with Steve Gray and Garrett and saw a penny in the middle of a crowded parking lot with cars driving by. I told Steve in my bossy way to grab it for me. He did. Later, days later maybe, he asked if it was shiny, how did I know if it was from Granny or Barbara. I thought for a minute and said since he didn't get kicked mysteriously in the pants as he picked it up, that Granny must have sent it. He looked at me oddly and asked, "would your Aunt Barbara have kicked me in the pants?" Yep....and she would have laughed about it hysterically! Ya just had to know her!
