You'll never know whose life you'll touch.

   I was reading the Omaha World Herald this morning and ran across an Obituary for William A. "Big Daddy" Sailes and started to cry a little. I'd never actually met "Big Daddy" Sailes but he was a very big part of my early years. I didn't remember that he had worked with my dad, but I knew he was a band leader.
   My parents were big into ballroom dancing when I was little. They used to spend many nights practicing in the livingroom of our home.  My father spoke very highly of Mr. Sailes and both my parents talked about how much they loved to go where his band was playing so they could dance to his music.
     For years after my parents' deaths, I wondered about him. I tried unsuccessfully to do some online searches to see if there was anything in print about him, but I didn't have the spelling of his name and it certainly didn't match the several variations I guessed from the pronunciation.
     Mr. Sailes was 94 years old. He lived a long life and I'm sure he touched a great many others. Even though I didn't know him personally, his life was personal to me and I will miss him. God willing, my parents will be enjoying an eternity of great music and great dancing. Rest in Peace "Big Daddy" and God bless you -Life well lived and Job well done!

I made it up

     When I was little I heard, "Find a penny pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck". I looked for pennies on the ground. Later, I heard that it will only bring you luck if the penny is face-up. I'm not superstitious, but I passed up many pennies on the ground over the years because they were face-down. I was either in a hurry or too lazy to pick them up. I left a few face-up pennies on the ground also, because honestly, ....... "it was ONLY A PENNY".  Now that I'm older, I seldom pass up a penny on the ground. They go in our granddaughter's Piggy Bank. They make her happy.
     A few weeks ago I found a penny on the floor at work. It was face-down but I picked it up anyway. As I walked past a woman sitting at a table, I set the penny in front of her making sure the penny was face-up. I repeated the "Find a penny" quote and told her, "but if you find a penny face-down on the ground, you must give it to someone else face-up and it will be lucky for them and for you". We both laughed and she asked, "Really?" I told her "no, I made that up" and we laughed again. Now when I see her at work she smiles at me and we remember the silliness. For a short moment we feel happier, but the feeling doesn't disappear suddenly, it lingers awhile . So, maybe that's it's own kind of good luck. These kinds of small moments have a significant impact on our lives. In these ways we make our own luck.
     When we share a silly moment, we can make someone else smile. Now that's real power!  I was thinking about the person who made up the "Find a Penny" quote. Did they understand how many lives they would touch? What would they think if they knew how many people over the last century have picked up a penny thinking about their luck that day.