I have over time come up with my own collection of wooden nickels. Items or moments in time that hold little to no value to others but for one reason or another mean the world to me. Not to in any way discredit the actual wooden nickel, because, yes I have a few of those as well.
I guess the reason I'm writing on this today is that I feel that all to often we can completely overlook what holds importance in someone else's life, simply because we don't see the meaning or how it relates to our own lives or situation. It also becomes true with being blind at times to what another may be going through, either because we are blinded by a wall of our own lives or simply because we don't take the time to realize that there is other lives outside of our own. I feel that it is so very important to be emotionally involved with the relationships that you hold dear and to keep from losing sight of others needs and important moments in time. This emotional investment doesn't need to end at just those who are close to you. Sometimes, pausing your own world just for a moment, can open an opportunity for you to gain a different perspective of what is happening around you while you are usually caught up in just livin'.
Never overlook the importance of the little things. I noticed something profound when i relocated a few years back. When I would pass by a stranger and say "Hi, how ya doin"... 2 out of 3 people would actually stop and answer. I know to some that this may not seem huge but to me it really was. I was used to people saying "hey" back without ever even acknowledging who had said hi in the first place. At first it was kind of shocking to see that these strangers would stop and make eye contact. Now though it is something I look forward to. I will say hi to strangers just to get a smile and to let someone know that for that moment someone saw them. You never know whose life you might change with a smile or a kind word.
When I was a disturbed teen, I had some spells of sever depression. One of these times that stand out in my mind is very clear not because of what I did but instead, because of what a friend had done without even knowing. I was very down and seriously contemplating doing a very stupid thing. I had written my notes to the ones I loved and I went walking to a designated place. On my way, I ran into a friend named Seth. At the time he had no idea what I had planned for the day. When I went to walk away he smiled, hugged me, and said "love ya', see you tomorrow". Now as simple as that sounds, it was all I needed. I needed to be seen. I did continue onto my destination, but I cried a good cry and went home. I couldn't do anything stupid, my friend was going to be waiting to see me the next day.
I have had so many times in my life where just having someone see me or what i needed has changed the entire course of my world. Like one night in the dark confusion of loud music and black lights... when a friend that i hadn't known for long came up to where i was standing in the spot light of my own world and set down.... a Wooden Nickel. In that moment, the music stopped, the smokey bar didn't exist, and I just smiled. All because someone outside of my immediate situation was sending a reminder that I was beautiful, important, and totally worth remembering. Who thought that a wooden nickel left in a dingy bar could say all that. But sometimes that's all it takes to light up ones world is a reminder that we are not the only ones in our world.
I guess what I'm saying is first, never doubt what you hold precious and important simply because it may not hold value to someone else. If it means something to you ... that's good enough for me. Second, Don't discredit the small stuff that we are all capable of doing for someone else. Sometimes a simple hello or a reminder that you still think of them on occasion is all it takes. You never know what someone else is going through if you don't take the time to notice. It doesn't take very much to remember someone else out loud, and who knows...... It may be the perfect time in their life for to leave a wooden nickel on the stage of their life.