When a Dime is Worth More Than a Quarter
A story about the real value of money
Not far from my house, in a traffic light on a busy street, I often see men asking for money.
Holding a sign, sometimes a cup. Some of them look pale and hungry. Some are wearing rags, while others even look healthy and reasonably dressed.
I usually try to offer whatever I have in the car, a granola bar, an apple, maybe a few coins if I can find any.
If I don’t find anything, I try to offer a word, a nod or a smile.
I want to give something, anything.
The thing is, between online shopping, e-transfers and Apple Pay, I truly don’t remember the last time I touched some real cash.
And so one day, it happened…
I was driving. I stop by the traffic light. A man approaches. I scrambled around to find something to give.
I find a quarter!
I extend my hand holding the quarter out the window.
The men approaches. He sees the quarter, he shook his head and even gave me an awkward smile that said, ‘I don’t take quarters’ and walked away.
The light turn green and I am dumbfounded.
I drive off mulling over the question,
Why wouldn’t he accept my quarter?
I listed all the things I can use a quarter for, and if I have a few quarters, I can definitely do something more with it.
Was he offended, ungrateful or just plain did not see the value of a quarter?
God knows how many times I received an email that read, “a payout of 0.33 cents for medium.com is on the way to your account.”
Money is money.
Another day, I was driving. I stopped on that same traffic light.
Immediately, I started scrambling to find something to give as the thought came to mind, “Whatever happens, I just hope the guy doesn’t throw the coin on my face…”
There was a different man that day.
I rolled down the window and said,
I’m so sorry, I only have a dime.
To which he answered,
Don’t be sorry. Thank you very much. Have a great day!
Wow!
I drove away thinking, “How is it possible that this man is happier and more grateful about receiving a dime than the other man was when being handed a quarter?”
Is a dime worth more than a quarter in this part of town?
No, a dime is a dime and it will always be a dime.
A quarter will always be a quarter, the same way a hundred, a thousand or a million will always be.
What gives value to what we have, is how we feel about it.
If you have a million, and you feel miserable because you don’t have five millions, than your million might as well be worth the same as that unwanted quarter.
But if you got a dime, and you are happy and grateful for it, you are blessed.
You are seeing the value of everything that comes to you and you receive it with humility and grace. Your appreciation for what you do have, brings you contentment and joy that no money in the world could bring you.
Wealth is in the mind. Poverty is also in the mind.
This is not a story about being happy with little. This is a story about feeling blessed, grateful and content with everything you have.
My definition of wealth, if you asked me.
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