Four Cents

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” - Robert Brault

It was an early morning weekday and I was headed to our corporate office in Houston. I pulled in the convenience store about 5:30 a.m. to get a cup of coffee for my hour ride. As I exited my vehicle and headed up to the front doors with the illuminated Valero sign overhead, I glanced down at the curb from the parking space to the front of the building.

My eye caught four pennies on the pavement. I stepped over them and continued in. As I was headed toward the coffee pots I felt bad I didn’t stop immediately and pick them up. I always do. Not so much for one penny, but more for picking something up that says “In God We Trust”.

For whatever time it took to get my coffee and pay for it the thought of not picking up the coins would not escape my mind.

As I left the store I went back to the spot I saw them and they were still there. I bent over to pick them up and as I did I also saw a dime several inches from the pennies. Wow, fourteen cents!

As I was driving to work I thought about this episode. How I saw something of little value but paid attention to it, and doing so, I found something of greater value.

It made me think about how life is similar. How many of us don’t take the time to notice the little things and unknowingly miss the bigger things.

If you don’t focus on a little problem, oh, how many of us know it can grow to a big problem. If you don’t focus on a little opportunity, for sure it will never grow into a big opportunity. If you don’t recognize you kids for the little things they do, they’ll never be encouraged to take on the bigger things in life.

Little things are important. Recognize them. Learn to see them. Act on them!

Happy Mother's Day!!