I can’t remember the first time I put a penny on a set of train tracks, waited for a train to run it over and then went back to find it. I don’t remember where we were or how old I was but I know my dad is the one that took me.
Every time we go up to my brother-in-law’s house we pass train tracks and every time I think about stopping to put a penny or two on the tracks so my boys can see what my dad showed me. It’s been years since I’ve been a mother and not once have we stopped. Last week we took our annual trip to Michigan to see my extended family. On the way back we decided to stop in Wisconsin Dells for the night. It breaks up the trip and my little men really like the KOA campground. They rent the bikes, play in the splash pad and swim like fish in the pool. It worked out perfect for us because they have little cabins you can rent and that makes the camping packing light. They also have train tracks close to the campground.
This time, before we went out for dinner that night, we stopped by the tracks and I placed pennies on them. Even though my boys wanted to help, I made them stay in the car, these were active tracks and we recently almost saw someone get hit by a train. I didn’t want to take the chance with them.
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There is a book called Chasers of the Light by Tyler Knott Gregson. I’m not sure how I even came about this book, but this man is after my own heart and with every page I read he makes me fall more and more in love with him. He wrote a poem called Coins on a Track
Some days in this life, you are the tracks that lead off to some mysterious and wonderful distance. Some days you are the train, strong and filled with purpose and fire and the promise of a destination. Some days, my friends, you will be the coins and on those days, when the weight of the world is about to run you over and the tracks feel like they are frozen and silent, just remember…soon, someone will run to the tracks, ignore the distance they lead to, forget the sound of the train that passed, and search frantically for your transformed self, shining and smooth. They will pick you up, they will hold you forever and when age catches up to them, it won’t be the train or the tracks they will remember, it will be you, the coin.
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As I looked for my coins, I thought about this poem. I thought about my first time crushing pennies and Tyler is right…I don’t remember anything but the coin. I also thought about me. I’ve traveled, been run over and transformed; while all of those experiences were breathtaking the most beautiful part of my journey thus far has been my transformation. I’m finally at a place where I can be me.
Much Love,
Jes
xoxo