Seven Cents

Walking with my dog along a margin between a road and town setting with a wooded area woven along its edge.

 

Seven cents

Strolling along familiar well known path

 with my dogie-friend Violet.

We cross the empty Car wash border.

But today my attention is caught

 

by glistening upon oily damp asphalt.

Laying before my feet is a gift.

 

Looking closer, bending down:

I have discovered

 a nickel and two pennies, 

Seven cents.

Today is special.

 Why?

 I possess a newfound treasure.

How many gifts, how many times

 have I acknowledged, or not,

 the humble gift? 

 

How do I measure value?

Is my gratitude meter fine tuned?

For life is experienced in the day by day; 

in the small things.

What defines value;

 accumulation of experiences

 as time continues on?

How many lessons are claimed 

or cast aside,

 treasured and used

 or abandoned?

Author's Note

dialogue of what is real....right now.

Reviews

[Delmar Cooper]

Too cool, everybody loves finding something, glad you scored the seven cents. Another really cool thing is leaving something for someone else to find. I have nieces and nephews, a hive full, and at one time they buzzed about like bees, unstoppable, full of energy and still capable of wonder, just the way I like em', fat and juicy. I found a gift shop that sold arrowheads, probably made by sweat shop Chinese Indians, but good looking arrowheads. I bought two handfuls of these things and salted my vegetable patch with these "relics." After Sunday dinner I suggested to the hive that they might find an arrowhead now that I had plowed the garden and we'd had a rain. The rest is history. I leave quarters on the sidewalk at Wal- Mart and watch people pick them up from the safety of my car, sometimes I don't even superglue them to the pavement. That's just the kind of guy I am.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Delmar Coooper,
What a fun thing to do: "salt your vegetable patch with relics'. hee, hee....Yes having youngsters about is wonderful! Thanks for the info-ful review of a little glimpse of kindness to and for others.
Bless you!
Kathy

[Paul Bell]

I remember finding sixty pounds in a shopping centre. Three twenty pound notes.
So I handed it into the Police station. Three months later I was informed it hadn't been claimed, so it was officially mine now. But when I collected it, It had turned into six ten pound notes. So I asked the desk sergeant how this had happened. Got the reply. Everything diminishes in time. Couldn't really argue with that.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Paul Bell,
Interesting story. What did you do with the money? An unexpected thing like that is amazing. I wonder how many people have had similar experience. I remember a time finding money when I was very poor and it was a miracle to me. $10.00 dollars and eneough to buy a little food. I had two little girls. Our stories are so myriad.
Blessings,
Kathy

[Paul Bell]

God's looking after us, Kathy.

[emmajoy]

A gift found, however small is that manna from Heaven and is happiest shared with anothr or others.. don't you think. You write with such spritial assuanc, you cup really does run over, dear you. Refined phrases, and smiles lingering too i feel.. the warmth is so present.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Emmajoy,
As time gives opportunity and added lessons and grace...may we all keep ourselves open to giving. A gift found can take myriad forms and shared the same way. We had a really warm day today which really caught me by surprise. Unexpected and it is a gift. We should look for the glory. Thanks Emmajoy. Your review was one of beauty and showed you personality.
Kathy

[emmajoy]

I love your writing's heart and mind, Kathy. x

[Kathy Van Kurin]

To share is joy!

[emmajoy]

laughing, my middle name.. x

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Yup! Have fun Miss Sunshine!

[emmajoy]

Laughing.. its going to rain tomorrow.. ;last week we had the highest April day on a record of 70 years!!!

[‘Thoughts In Time..]

So very true- the small things are those that matter and need to be taken more notice of- Beauty is in simplicity- wonderfully written🌹

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Thoughts in Time,
"the small things are those that matter and need to be taken more notice of" I think youv'e got a point. We get bogged down and sometimes it's hard to prevent but with the quiet times of solitude in pondering alone we find refreshing.
Kathy

[‘Thoughts In Time’🌹]

So very true..simplicity is more...gratitude is all...🌹

[Kathy Van Kurin]

What a great thought! thanks.

[‘Thoughts In Time’🌹]

Pleasure🌹

[LSS]

Kathy, I love your sense of wonder; an innocence left over from remembered youth and harder times. Before reading, I was expecting some fine twist regarding monetary or eternal values. Yet here before me is a quiet note of thanks for the little blessings the Lord brings into our lives; that enrich us and uplift us and carry us back to other blessings that may have been more essential in their time. Those memories were just waiting to refresh us again with their remembrances.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

LSS,
Writing is transposed from the heart of us all. It could be, as you say; "some fine twist regarding monetary or eternal fvalues. " That would be ok. I of course was just seeing the moment...ha ha; kind of like my spaniel, Violet. Love your review.
Blessings,
Kathy

[Sami Khalil]

Outstanding experience and message from the small finds. I love how you turned that into a life lesson to treasure even the smallest things. I agree with Jacob for we are occupied with the big things forgetting the small things. Marvelous you are.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Thank you Sami.
It is not in anyone's best interest to be overwhelmed with does not satisfy in the end. The pursuit of money-great wealth and popularity or anything which takes great work and for what? To have eneough, to find little pockets of satisfaction within our ebbing days and know satisfaction is actually what God has in mind for we people. Can we share? We can in many ways.
Your review was really welcome.
Blessings,
Kathy

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! So true. YOU ARE WELCOME. God bless.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Thanks Sami!

[Sami Khalil]

:).................

[Chris Shaw]

You took me back years to when my family lived with grandparents in London and I was allowed to play on the pavement (hopscotch) outside our home. The joy of finding money that had fallen from some poor souls pocket was indeed gratitude. Treats in the sweet shop, wonderful. It also made sure that wherever I walked I didn't have my head up in the sky, but rooted to the ground. Thank you for this lovely read. I enjoyed your poem and the memory it brought back to me.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Christine Anne Shaw,
Nice to receive your fine review. The minute, whimsical and grace filled memories such as yours are what make us smile. Life is actually made up of thes kinds of things. I like to hear the memories of people as children. I found the thought of a little girl paying attention to the pavement hopeing to find a coin pretty cute. I use to do that when walking on gravel roads hoping for an agate.
Blessings, and thank you for reading and commenting. so nice!
Blessings,
Kathy

[Chris Shaw]

You are welcome Kathy.

[Gee]

Love and life the most valuable gifts and both free. I'm a simple man who loves his life, family and who is constantly amazed at the world around him.
Liked your words Kathy, good morning.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Gee,
Just the simplest and even humble subject matter. Walking and seeing oily little coins shining in the sun may not be every one's cup of tea. The experinece for me turned into far more then I could of expected. "Love and life the most valuable gifts and both free." How beautiful!
Thank you for reading my little poem.
Blessings,
Kathy

[jacob erin-cilberto]

we are always so worried about the big things...so much so, that the little things can pass us by...i have always been the opposite...little things make me happy, they always have.
i don't sweat the small stuff, i love the small stuff...and this poem is worth every penny in multiples of infinity.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Jacob erin-cilberto,
Terribly simple experience. But the feeling of walking and being free to stare at the trees and sky, feel the breeze. The sun hit the nickel and two pennies just so and they looked so pretty laying in some oily water. I wiped them off and this poem just materialized. I knew it was a message imediatly. Thanks for your input. It is very helpful.
Bless you.
Kathy