Believe it or not, every thing has a story. Some stories are never told and others are never heard. But are they never told because someone dismisses them as insignificant and are they never heard because we don’t take the time to listen?
So, let me start by telling you a story about the penny in the picture above. On a recent Friday morning, I was on my typical morning walk around my neighborhood and was just about a half mile from home when I saw something shiny laying in the street. But I walked right past it. Then, something told me to turn around and take a closer look. As I knelt down to see exactly what caught my eye (I don’t wear my contacts on my walk), I realized that it was a simple penny. Or was it so simple?
Without warning, I began to see the correlation between the penny and anyone of us. I was flooded with questions I never even thought about regarding any other means of currency. But something told me there was more to this coin… I felt the dirt and grim against my fingertips and began to relate that to how sometimes our lives are messy. I saw the scratches as scars from the rough elements, the dents and chips as pieces of our lives where we have lost loved ones, the unworthiness of being found by the side of the road mirror our own feelings of being discarded and tossed aside as if we meant nothing. No one seemed to care. No one seemed to pay attention. No one wanted to know.
But then I saw something else in this crummy looking coin. I saw worthiness. I was drawn by its glimmer and brilliance. Quite simply, it shined. It shined on that darkened street, far from any street light to add to its natural born beauty. Beneath the filth and the imperfectness of its shape, it still dazzled me with its copper appearance and I knew that there was more to it and no one else was here to tell that story.
So, now you know.
As I carried that penny home in my pocket, I thought about all of the other broken souls that never get a chance to be spoken for or heard. I started asking myself questions: Haven’t we all been broken at one time or another? Who of us have not suffered heartbreak or made a mistake we wish we could undo? What would it take to mend a broken soul?
Why does every broken soul deserve a chance to be mended?
Because we have all been broken.
Our souls can endure quite a bit of pain, but eventually we will break. We will have been kicked enough times that getting back up just doesn’t seem worth it anymore. No one in this world ever escapes pain, loss, or rejection.
Because we are all worth something.
Even a dirty penny has value. To some, that value may be insignificant. But to others, it may mean more than ever thought possible. Sometimes, we don’t even see how we glow until someone else points it out to us.
Because we all make mistakes.
We are human and therefore, we have our flaws. Our emotions can get the better of us and some of our choices will backfire, no matter how good our intentions might be. But regardless, we are not perfect and forgiveness is the only way to let go of misgivings.
Because we believe in the good of others.
It is in our nature to be honest and good, so being anything less takes much more effort. Only when actions have been taken do we understand and appreciate the “benefit of the doubt” given to us all.
Because we have carry hope within our hearts.
If we really did not believe in tomorrow, then why forgive? Why chase a dream? Why pick ourselves back up? Why do anything more than anyone else? Because we all need hope — some of us just see it better than others. It is up to the ones who see it best to share it with everyone else. Now that I shared this story with you, I wonder what you will do next. How will you use this story of a grimy penny found on a dark street in the early hours of the morning and look at the world just a little differently?
Will you show more compassion than you have previously to the ones who you had looked down upon before?
Will you extend your hand to those who need a hand hold as they gather the strength to once again stand on their own?
Will you offer forgiveness in circumstances that might otherwise seem unforgivable?
Will you unconditionally give to strangers with your time and talents, letting it impact you in ways never imagined?
Will you set aside differences and agree that living is always better than the alternative?
Will you take the time to tell the stories that need to be told and listen to the ones that need to be heard?
Every broken soul deserves a chance to be mended and it is up to us to to make sure it happens.
