The "Big" Picture
While I was growing up, I was gifted with the ability to "see the larger picture" in the face of my problems, and there seemed to be no problem that I couldn't come to grips with, either through a solution, or the acceptance of situations beyond my control. This was a gift.
When I
reached my own private age of reason (actually around the age of 18!), I
decided to make this gift my tool for as long as I could remember its benefits.
Here is how this came about. In high school, I agonized over the inability to
comprehend the fine points of algebra. Good grades had always come easily to
me, but in the case of algebra, I was out of my element completely. The
"D" I received was my first. My deception was very personal: I felt
that in some way, I was not "OK" any more. I had failed! Then I put
this new realization to the "big picture" test. I admit, I had to
stretch the imagination a bit. After all, my classmates knew about the
"D". My family had seen my report card, and my active teen-age mind
was having trouble shaking the feeling that "I was good for nothing".
Eventually
I managed to break free, and imagined myself somewhere high above the Earth, in
a dark and quiet place, looking down on my school, my friends, my family, and
my report card on the table in my room. That was not all I could see. In fact,
there was not anything on the entire Earth I couldn't see! I could back away
until all that was left to see were the huge land masses and the vast oceans.
Then, somehow, I saw time. At first, it was time passing, the course of events
rising and falling, then rising again. In my mind's eye, all of history
suddenly spread out before me. Future, past and present were one!
The
realization came to me as I watched, that people, even whole populations, were
struggling to overcome difficulties which were much more basic than a
"D" on a report card: How do I feed my family? How do I protect them
from danger? How do I show them I love them? Where am I going? . . .how do I
get there!
And while I
was peacefully observing, I was thinking: "All that really matters is what
kind of person I am and what good I can do in my life. Does my "D"
take away from that? " I had to admit that it didn't not one bit! Oh sure,
I did want to do my best, but if my best didn't obtain the goal I had set for
myself, as long as I had seriously tried to reach it, I had done what was
expected of me. So, I "returned" to my room and set my report card
neatly beneath the paper weight, cleared the desk, and began to write. I've
been writing ever since. And when my writing communicates best is when I take
myself out beyond the Earth and the every-day obstacles, where I can really
"see".
Several years ago, I started home-schooling my teen-age son. I knew that I could teach him language, art, history and science, but planned to get a tutor for algebra. I picked up his algebra book one night and started to read. The first page did not seem difficult, so I worked through a couple of problems on my own. To my amazement, I found it easy. But, I thought, "things will really get complicated in a chapter or two." To prove this to myself, I turned to the next chapter. I understood that chapter. Challenged now, I read on, each time trying to break the code of this new "language" and each time meeting with success. The story continues, but the punch line is that I was able to learn and teach algebra to my son. Maybe life had taught me the right amount of logic to tackle math as an adult. Maybe I had just learned that "all things come about in their own time". I had discovered that, too, out there in space.
Should we eliminate the Penny?
Yes! Oh
wait...no! Darn! That's a good one. I say "yes" because a penny just
isn't worth a thing any more. Here's proof for you: You know all those pennies
that pile up over the months in the bottom of your purse (ladies only of
course)? Instead of lugging a heavy purse around with me all the time, I
decided to save all those pennies in a pretty little tin box for my
granddaughter, Selena. I could hardly wait to see her face light up when I gave
them to her on my next visit. It lit up, but the light didn't last long. After
counting the pennies together,and stacking them in neat little piles of ten, we
were left with just over $4.00. Now I ask you, what can a ten-year-old child
buy with $4.00? We went to town to find out.
The first
place we went was to the local Dollar Store. After nearly an hour looking at
virtually "everything" in the store, Selena decided on a small
journal+pen with pink roses on the cover, a stretchy pink book cover, a pink
net bath "thing" with matching soap, and a pair of socks - pink of
course. We hauled our loot to the check-out. The line was long, but no matter:
my granddaughter was "tickled pink" with her purchases. We could
wait. When it was our turn, she put her treasures on the moving belt, the
cashier rang them all up and declared that we owed exactly $3.96. Turned out
this was a 99 Cent Store. Here's where I say "no", we should not
dispense with the penny. Those four pennies in change could be had no other
way, and Selena was so pleased that she would be getting change back. Proud as
could be, she pulled out her pennies and spread them on the counter.
"Oh
no," the cashier said. "We don't accept pennies unless they are in
rolls." Selena's face fell.
"That's
OK," I said, "We'll go to the bank and get some rolls". I asked
the cashier to save Selena's purchases and, with one clearly-upset
granddaughter, we left the store, pennies in hand.
I tried to
cheer Selena up as I drove to the bank, telling her that Big People just don't
understand what a penny is worth any more. I kept hearing my mom's voice after
the depression telling us over and over: "A penny saved is a penny
earned", and "Find a penny, pick it up: All the day you'll have good
luck."
At the
bank, after waiting in a long line, we reached the teller, Selena put her
pennies on the counter and asked for paper rolls. "I'm sorry," was
the reply, we don't use them any more."
What!?",
I said, ready to pick a fight. I was so set on using those precious pennies.
The teller then asked if we wanted to exchange them for dollars. "Of course"
I said. What was I thinking! And in short order, Selena was proudly holding
four new crisp dollar bills. The light in her face was back on.
Back to the
car. There sat Selena holding her dollars carefully in her hands, looking at
them as if she had just discovered buried treasure. We drove back to the 99
Cent Store, and on the way, I just kept thinking that she was so happy with
those new dollar bills, I didn't have the heart to make her spend them. I said:
"Selena, you know that if you put those dollars away and save them, the
next time I have change, I can get more dollars for you and after a while,
you'll have money to buy something even better. What do you think?"
A big smile
was my answer. "OK," I said, "Let's go get your stuff. I'll pay
for them this time."
We went
back to the 99 Cent Store, waited in line and, when our turn came, I pulled
four dollars out of my purse. Selena picked up her bag, and the cashier handed
me back four pennies - which went immediately into the bottom of my purse!
I say "yes",
let's get rid of pennies. They cause far too much trouble.