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A Penny for Your Thoughts

There are two kinds of people in this world: those that save their pennies and those that don’t. There are those that find their pennies in sofa cushions, those that save them in a jar, those that spend their pennies, and those that lose their pennies. There are even people that believe pennies to be lucky. We all see pennies on the floor as we go about our daily lives. But how many of us actually pick them up? There is an English saying for finding such a lucky penny: “Find a penny, pick it up and all day you will have good luck". Why do some of us pass these lucky pennies by? Are we afraid of dirt and germs? Are we too busy? Are we ashamed to pick up such a small denomination of money? After all, Benjamin Franklin said “a penny saved is a penny earned.” And what makes a penny lucky? The Greeks believed copper could protect against evil and attract love. Shinny pennies are supposed to bring happiness to their keepers. And what if we were paid a penny for every thought we ever had? - There would certainly be a shortage of pennies in the world.

In the early 1600's a groundling could enter Shakespeare's Globe for only a penny. A penny bought them entrance into "the pit", also called "the yard", where they could stand to watch remarkable works of theatre. Now, here we are in the 21st century and only the middle-class and elite have the means to attend professional live theatre. Now, I don't mean to demean the plethora of artists in the world that endeavor to make theatre accessible. I mean, thank God for people like Joseph Papp, who strove to create free Shakespeare for the modern masses. And, yes, I am guilty of spending $100 to see John Stamos, Molly Ringwald, and Hal Linden in Cabaret on Broadway... Inflation is also to blame... But look at our generation, deprived of art and settling for campy late night television. - Okay I digress - Theatre ticket prices deserve another tirade all together. The point is, we are throwing away our pennies (even the lucky ones) because we don't have the patience or the will to save them!

I recently thought about all the lucky pennies I have left on the sidewalk lately. Of course, I am not speaking just about pennies in the literal sense, but also in the sense that I often overlook small possibilities in life. I started this blog to save the pennies that I find: memories, experiences, things that inspire me, artistic impressions, hopes, and dreams. Maybe if I can collect enough of these pennies, and save them, I will be able to create something meaningful. I intend to learn and grow as an artist, share my knowledge, learn from my fellow dream makers, and explore the magic of theatre. This is my first penny saved - How many pennies have you saved today?