Penny

    Perhaps I am too old to be making wishes on pennies tossed hopefully into a “wishing” fountain, but is one ever too old to dream? Maybe my request will be granted, and maybe not, but it never hurts to try.

    With that said, I’ll state my wish.

    In the past, I wished for earthly, temporal things; for example, the newest toy or a few stray dollars. Sometimes my desire was less than secular, when I asked for nothing more than a couple hours of bonding time with my workaholic father, or perhaps for a friendship shattered to be mended again.

    Now, my mind is more mature and knowledgeable than it was thirty years ago. To some, my wish might be considered egotistical or selfish, but, in all honesty, I mean to commit no sin when I ask this one small favor.

    I wish to see.

    For eleven years now, my eyes have been blind and barren, dead and useless to me in their lifeless sockets.

    I wish to know.

    I want to know what it is like to gaze over a moonlit scene, my unscathed eyes twinkling in the starlight.

    I wish to forgive myself.

    Years ago, I had plenty of opportunity to take in the majestic sights of the world. Instead of greedily scouring the world for visual beauty, I, in my ignorant youth, took my eyesight for granted. I could have imprinted the image of panoramas into my mind, could have even glanced at a couple more photos of the world’s beauty, at the very least, but instead I chose to waste my youthful health amongst empty bottles and self-implied, pointless danger.

    One of those meaningless risks cost me my sight, and I don’t believe I’ll ever forgive myself for my stupidity.

    With this penny, this simple copper coin, I beg forgiveness for assuming sight to be a delicacy that would always be available to me. This penny, the most inferior of coins, binds me to a promise that my ways will be changed. I solemnly swear, this penny as my proof, that the blessing of sight will never be lost on me again, if I should be so lucky as to receive a miracle.

    Now, there is nothing left to do but release the single penny, which so bravely represents all my wishful hopes and dreams, into the swirling waters of the fountain.

    Be strong, little penny. Thank you.

     Plop.



    The copper penny sinks slowly into the shallow fountain, finally stopping to rest atop a small hill of coins much like itself. It joins its coequals in their endeavor, their struggle to reflect the wishes placed upon them through the golden sun that shines brilliantly down upon them. A new flurry of light enters the jumble of dancing light, leaping to and fro along the fountain’s sides as the water moves all around. Another wish has been cast, and one more soul will, perhaps, be satisfied soon.