It's Only A Penny But What Could A Penny Do?

A penny is not just a penny...

"It's only a penny, are you really that cheap?" some homeless guy shouted at me.

By Citizen Correspondent Leslie Benisz

Date Posted: 12/22/06

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As I walked home after seeing a movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, I saw a shining little penny on the sidewalk and as usual I chose to pocket the 'lucky' penny that had just made me one cent richer. "It's only a penny, are you really that cheap?" some homeless guy shouted at me when I stood back up. Although I could have given him my 'two cents' worth, literally since Canadian one cent coins cost about 2 1/2 cents to produce, I just kept on walking. However, even it's only a penny, what is the benefit of picking up a penny off the street and what could my lucky penny do?

Well, for starters, a penny as I've been told is worth enough to buy a roti on the streets of Bangladesh or a piece of fruit in Africa. If you're a starving street urchin in that country one penny could be another meal and maybe another day of survival if you're lucky enough to find enough money at the present exchange rate of of one Canadian penny.

If you collect 10 of them, which make it a dime, that's enough to buy a full meal for that same street urchin. A roti, a glass of fresh milk and maybe a piece of fruit such as a banana or an orange. What a lucky day that would be for a child who has to beg for a living or work very hard for less than 50 cents a day.

Fifty pennies make 50 cents and of course one hundred makes one dollar, which is presently rising to the U.S. currency a bit more every.

One dollar will buy that same street urchin some paper and a pencil, which is essential for his/her education and some lunch so that he/she won't starve while he's learning at a local school that can help kids who are lucky enough to have the chance to go to school like other kids.

I've collected perhaps many dollars over the years after finding and saving, spending, and even sharing the pennies that I've found on sidewalks in my developed country called Canada. I've never really thought that a penny is worthless, even if I can't buy anything with one here. However, when I consider that just having the attitude to see the value in every penny and what enough pennies can do, that is truly priceless.