In Review

Pennies From Where?

My wife read a thing on Facebook about pennies left by angels
Her sister recently passed and the family still support each other by phone or text
Stories like this penny thing help soothe the mourning with positive words and closure when shared

Thoughts of love and family have been constant since her passing, as they were before the loss, even when separated by hundreds of miles
Every other day or so, they would call or text

I'm usually not that curious but become interested when I see coincidence eliminated from the equation
It then becomes a mystery
Such a story was this one
It touches even my cynical heart

We had been planning for months our visit to family, much overdue and exciting
We lost my wife's sister and decided to not miss any more family moments if possible
It had been a while so it was time for a road trip
So I guess good luck is in order
Found a heads up penny while filling up, last thing before hitting the road to Colorado
Lucky me right, hope so, it's a long drive

Changed drivers in Salina KS
While walking our dog I found a penny
Wow, lucky me again

Had to stop at a dollar store, I'm walking the dog again
Ok, just for kicks, I'm starting to look for pennies
Oh boy, what fun
It's a long trip, I'm easily amused I guess

I drove without stopping, finally arriving at our Airbnb
Now with our niece, plans are made
Joy and love abound
A long awaited reunion

Tales, laughter, tears, united again at last
Our niece leaves our place for home
We asked to follow her to the liquor store
It's going to be dark soon, and we don't know where it is
She leads us and signals with her right blinker while passing the liquor store
We wave thanks and pull into a parking space
I get out of the car and, hello, a shiny Abe Lincoln is looking straight up at me

The next day, Mexican food in the mountains.
We drove to the restaurant and walked to the door, and you guessed it
Another penny right by the door
Am I the only guy that picks these things up?

Now, this story gets a new light when I hear later the talk going around about the pennies I have been finding
This spooky concept probably originated from some optimistic loved one in mourning, I guess
It's hard to get my head around angels or loved ones strategically leaving a penny, supposedly to show some kinda sign of a presence a message of some kind

It's a reach, just a coincidence to me so far
But who knows what love can do
Maybe because love doesn't die

We went on with a great vacation, way up to the hard to get to fishing lakes
Everyone was very happy
Girls prepared lunch, then sat in the shade and visited while the guys fished
I took a break, and as I walked back from the car, suddenly a glint of copper shined brightly from down the hill on the bank where I was just fishing
Just laying there in the grass where I was just standing, another Abe Lincoln, how did I miss that before
Is it the altitude, or is this penny thing makin my head spin
This thing has got me baffled
We can only observe what we may not understand
But what logic is this?
And if love doesn't die, well, then what?
Maybe the perfection of our day in a mountain paradise was being shared
What a great opportunity it would be for a positive display of connection with a passed loved one
You just don't see coins on the ground in Colorado at 8,000 feet
So what, then?

I'm no stranger to picking up pennies
And if this is no coincidence, whatever this is picked the right guy to deliver the message
I'm a skeptic, not a believer in coincidence, but this could be something else that only love knows about
And we only get a glimpse of it

Well, I caught most of the fish that day
My lucky day
I walked over to where the girls were in the shade
"Lookie here, another penny"
I handed it to my niece, "Is this your mother's doin?"
She had a startled look, her eyes widen, her jaw dropped
"Yes! It must be her here."

Love may make it real for her, I hope it is real, for now anyway, it's just a little past a simple coincidence
I'm still scratchin my head about this true tale and this family's real mystery
It's puzzling
It's like seeing something in the sky wishing it was unbelievable
But now it isn't unbelievable
My niece was elated in belief, so it's not going away
I just wish I could tell this story at work tomorrow
Not gonna happen
I'm not adding to the growing list of things that shouldn't have happened...
Or should I just feel lucky to tell it?