Pennies from Heaven

Over the weekend, I counted coins that I have been saving over the past few years. As I went through the money, I sifted through each penny, checking the year they had been produced. Pennies made before 1983 are worth more than one cent because they were made with a higher percentage of copper. Pennies dated 1984 or newer hold no value higher than one cent. It was easy to assess some pennies that looked new and shiny as pennies that were made within the past 20 years. I had to read others more carefully because it was harder to tell if they were old or new. Sure enough, some of the pennies were older, but a lot were new and only looked old and beat up. Some can loathe the little things in life, but there is value in everything. The challenge is evaluating what has actual value and what should only be taken at face value. Going through those pennies reminded me of the song "Pennies from Heaven" that Billie Holiday once covered. Her lyrics share that every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven and that each time it rains, it's an opportunity to gain a small fortune. In the last verse, she offers that in order to have the things we love, we have to have showers and that we shouldn't run away from it but embrace it.