PENNIES FOR AIDS
Yesterday I received a donation that to some would not be considered to sell in the on-line auction at Thrive. It's not just the gift he gave, or the time he gave making it. It is a gift of the simplest message of care, he knows very little of AIDS at his age. He knows the most basic...'AIDS hurts people bad' and to know that much 'little guy' delivered a message that everyone is capable of the capacity to care.
After meeting him and talking to him, I cried like a baby out of his view. Yesterday in my blog I asked you how much 15 pennies were worth. And today I share this encounter with you...
"Hey, you are Joe right?" I turned around to see 'little guy', no older than six years, who was standing beside a tall slender man that I know I should remember, but I can't. The man stretched his hand out and shook mine as 'little guy' also reached out to shake my hand. The man spoke his name and then I remembered him.
"This is my son 'little guy'. My friend has you on facebook and he suggested I check out a link to an auction page of yours dealing with AIDS. As 'little guy' and I looked at the postings he asked me what the red ribbon was for so I explained what it represented the simplest way I could.
'Little guy' looked back and forth from his Dad to me. It looked like he had something to say, "Daddy! Give it to Joe” he said, almost impatiently. "You made it 'little guy' so you give it to him", his dad said.
The 'little guy' turned shy and hid behind his dad, while Dad handed me a brown paper bag folded up. It was heavy! A piece of yarn glued to it as a handle. There was a ribbon, not made of silk or satin or cotton or denim. It was a ribbon made of pennies that 'little guy' had glued on and painted red. "I know I wrecked the pennies cuz I painted them, but now it's a picture" he said, still standing behind his dad, snuggling his leg.
Indeed it was a picture! 'Little guy' made a red ribbon work of art just because he understood and cared enough that 'AIDS hurts people bad'. "But you can't open the bag Joe," 'little guy' added. He had glued the bag shut. "If you open it you will let 'them' out and the picture bag won't work. I made wishes and put 'them' in the bag so people get better and no one will get sick from AIDS.
I had to take a huge breathe to hold in all my built up emotion as we continued to chat a bit. 'Little guy' told me that he had more pennies at home that he was gonna give to the AIDS people. Another deep breathe as I thanked him and his dad and they headed off on their way home.
Dad, looking down at his son who was smiling and skipping off happily; the way little kids do. "I think Joe liked it 'little guy"", I heard Dad say.
I headed in the other direction, tears in the corner of my eyes, loving the red painted pennies ribbon.
I took one more deep breathe as I sat by the fountain and the tears did flow.
A simple act of care, Pennies painted, Meant to share, A young boy's gift, Not just for me, A gift of compassion, For others to see.
15 pennies painted red - far surpasses the value of fifteen cents
Thank you 'little guy', your "little something" means so much to me and I am sure it will to many others.
I think it also shows that a well-recognized person need not be the one to make changes, and between you and I,
'little guy' is affected closely by AIDS. This makes this story and him all the more sweeter.
We planned for 'little guy', his dad and I to have a wrap them up party! Sitting down together to wrap all the pennies he collected so they can be brought into Thrive.
This is how it went -
'Little guy' and his dad came in with a freezer bag full of pennies and we sat down at the café. As he started counting them he reached into his Disney 'Cars' jacket and pulled out a few more pennies that he found on the street. "I picked these up on the way here and I gotta go to school soon Joe." We finished counting 127 more pennies in the bag, plus the 7 he picked up on his way to the café.
A kid of 6 gives 368 pennies, $3.68 plus the painted red penny wish bag
He didn't have too, he chose to. He said "I listen to my heart."
=
a grand total of PRICELESS!