Yesterday, I took a long walk.

Came across a penny on the roadside.

Almost unnoticeable.

Nearly unrecognizable.

It was marred and scarred.

Run-over and stepped on.

Smashed flush with the surrounding debris.

Later, I came across another.

Further on, one more.

At some point, each had been cast aside.

Maybe long, long ago.

How many travelers had passed them by?

I stopped.

Bent down.

Picked each up and examined.

Then a tear.

Though marred and scarred,

Their worth was undimmed.

Their value as bright as any other.