My dad always told us kids to "Keep your eyes peeled."
He would say this because he was always finding money laying on the ground. Sometimes a quarter, maybe a nickel. On numerous occasions he even found paper money.
But mostly he found pennies. Regardless of the amount, penny, dime, or dollar, my dad never failed to reach down and pick up a coin. He didn't even hesitate to pick up a coin when it was laying in a mud puddle.
For dad, I don't believe it was so much about Needing the money, (although there were times that we did,) I think it was more that my dad saw a simple found coin as a gift.
As I had children of my own, I fondly remember dad nudging them on the way into the grocery store and saying, "Keep your eyes peeled. You never know what you'll find."
Invariably, a lost coin would be found in the parking lot, or the isles of the grocery store proving that their Papo was right.
Throughout my life I, too, have picked up a simple found coin and considered it a gift. I can't help but think of my dad when I see a penny laying on the ground. I can still hear his voice saying, "Keep your eyes peeled."
When my mom was here for a visit in September, she told me about the collection of coins she and dad had gathered over years. Evidently my parents had been keeping found coins in a nightstand dish for some time, and that dish was quite full. The coins my mom has been finding since dad passed away 11 months ago are adding up too.
But now my mom has been looking specifically for dimes. You see there is a story called Dimes in the Dessert. Mom had shared this story with dad a few years ago. Since then, dimes were the preferred coin to find.
( Link to Dimes in the Dessert: http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/Angels/2003/07/Dimes-In-The-Desert.aspx )
As mom & I walked up and down the grocery store isles, She shared how she too wanted to find dimes..., bright, shiny, new dimes. She was just trying to "keep her eyes peeled."
She said, "if I could find dimes, then I would know they are from your dad. Everyone finds pennies, but you don't see dimes very often."
As we walked out of the store towards the car, we spotted it...
a bright shiny new NICKEL.
No....It was NOT a dime, but it also wasn't there when we went inside the store and the car next to us was the same car.
I just had to laugh.
I told mom, "dad is just teasing you! Watch out because he is either going to send you another nickel or 5 pennies."
Mom jokingly said, "Damn it Don, I said a dime!"
I hadn't thought too much about that conversation last September, at least not until this weekend.
This is my birthday weekend. I have been camping up at Silver Falls State park. I just needed some time away.
This is the first year in 51 years that I won't hear my dad sing Happy Birthday to me. The first time I won't get his phone call asking me, "do you feel any older today?"
Its been a tough year for all of us.
Saturday morning, as I walked up to the fire ring preparing to make breakfast, I looked down and there laying on top of the mud sat a bright, shiny, new dime! My husband pointed it out first. He said, "hey look, a dime. Pretty unusual seeing that laying out here"
I just chuckled through the tears, and said, "its from my dad. Thanks daddy!"
Jeff said, "well he couldn't call and sing happy birthday to you so he sent you a dime."
"I know." was all I could say, and I tucked this dime away for safe keeping.
It was absolutely the perfect gift!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
He would say this because he was always finding money laying on the ground. Sometimes a quarter, maybe a nickel. On numerous occasions he even found paper money.
But mostly he found pennies. Regardless of the amount, penny, dime, or dollar, my dad never failed to reach down and pick up a coin. He didn't even hesitate to pick up a coin when it was laying in a mud puddle.
For dad, I don't believe it was so much about Needing the money, (although there were times that we did,) I think it was more that my dad saw a simple found coin as a gift.
As I had children of my own, I fondly remember dad nudging them on the way into the grocery store and saying, "Keep your eyes peeled. You never know what you'll find."
Invariably, a lost coin would be found in the parking lot, or the isles of the grocery store proving that their Papo was right.
Throughout my life I, too, have picked up a simple found coin and considered it a gift. I can't help but think of my dad when I see a penny laying on the ground. I can still hear his voice saying, "Keep your eyes peeled."
When my mom was here for a visit in September, she told me about the collection of coins she and dad had gathered over years. Evidently my parents had been keeping found coins in a nightstand dish for some time, and that dish was quite full. The coins my mom has been finding since dad passed away 11 months ago are adding up too.
But now my mom has been looking specifically for dimes. You see there is a story called Dimes in the Dessert. Mom had shared this story with dad a few years ago. Since then, dimes were the preferred coin to find.
( Link to Dimes in the Dessert: http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/Angels/2003/07/Dimes-In-The-Desert.aspx )
As mom & I walked up and down the grocery store isles, She shared how she too wanted to find dimes..., bright, shiny, new dimes. She was just trying to "keep her eyes peeled."
She said, "if I could find dimes, then I would know they are from your dad. Everyone finds pennies, but you don't see dimes very often."
As we walked out of the store towards the car, we spotted it...
a bright shiny new NICKEL.
No....It was NOT a dime, but it also wasn't there when we went inside the store and the car next to us was the same car.
I just had to laugh.
I told mom, "dad is just teasing you! Watch out because he is either going to send you another nickel or 5 pennies."
Mom jokingly said, "Damn it Don, I said a dime!"
I hadn't thought too much about that conversation last September, at least not until this weekend. This is my birthday weekend. I have been camping up at Silver Falls State park. I just needed some time away.
This is the first year in 51 years that I won't hear my dad sing Happy Birthday to me. The first time I won't get his phone call asking me, "do you feel any older today?"
Its been a tough year for all of us.
Saturday morning, as I walked up to the fire ring preparing to make breakfast, I looked down and there laying on top of the mud sat a bright, shiny, new dime! My husband pointed it out first. He said, "hey look, a dime. Pretty unusual seeing that laying out here"
I just chuckled through the tears, and said, "its from my dad. Thanks daddy!"
Jeff said, "well he couldn't call and sing happy birthday to you so he sent you a dime."
"I know." was all I could say, and I tucked this dime away for safe keeping.
It was absolutely the perfect gift!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
