Monday, December 20, 2010

There Is Still Value In A Dollar!


Recently while shopping at a local dollar store with my youngest daughter, I was reminded of the true value of a dollar. Remember the days when you could purchase gumballs from the machine for a penny or a nickel? Well, some of you may remember those days. Anyway, while taking my daughter to the store so she could purchase a few things for family members with her hard earned allowance (as she says) I found myself watching her in awe. She did a series of chores, and saved her money over a period of several weeks so that she could purchase Christmas gifts. This was going to be interesting.

For over an hour we walked up and down each aisle as she carefully studied the items available. Already having an idea of what she was looking for helped, but she also required feedback before placing any item in to our basket. This was to ensure the item was going to serve the purpose that she desired. In doing so, she thought about what each individual liked, their habits, and what things really put a smile upon their face- based on what she has seen in the past.

I was amazed to see at the age of eleven, what this child had observed about her sister, grandparents, aunt... Even more important than that was what could actually still be purchased with a dollar! It was about finding the right location to do so, as well as the careful selection of each item to achieve the desired result. We ended up leaving the store with twenty items sure to put a smile on the faces of many individuals. These items were purchased with money earned by an individual that loved them, and had put careful thought in to each purchase. The crooked wrapping job that now embraces each gift item under our tree is the icing on the cake. The image forever sealed in my mind of the smile on her face as she carefully counted each dollar she handed to the clerk is priceless.

This holiday season we must remember there is tremendous value in the small things, but more importantly the love and blessings that go in to each gift that graces our hands is what matters. This season remember a single dollar holds REAL value.

2 comments:

Spiritual Care Ministries said...

Thank-you for your words because the memories reminded me of growing up in Indiana, earning and saving my money and buying gifts for my family. You cannot place a dollar amount on memories and creating them with a loved one!

Anonymous said...

That was beautifully written and it goes to show that children are more aware of their environment and surroundings unlike adults who tend to actually shop for what they seem to be a good gift without really paying extra attention to what would make someone else happy.
Merry Christmas and i hope your child always maintains her human observation as she grows, it will be of great benefit to her future and human interactions :)

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