I hate carrying change. It's loud, it's small, it's easy to lose – it is a trifecta of frustrations.
I have grown to dread the sound of a cashier grabbing coins from a register because an awkward moment of hastily shoving change into my pocket subsequently follows. However, I make one exception to my animosity, and that’s for quarters.
I always carry quarters. There is not a single day you’ll catch me without at least a dollar’s worth of quarters in my wallet. This is for one reason, and one reason alone: A good gumball.
I can vividly remember the days of my childhood when I used to beg my mom for a quarter so I could buy myself a gumball. Quarters were once a ticket to sheer delight as I watched the colorful piece of gum descend from the head of the tower toward my eagerly waiting hand. Trips to the gumball machine made my day as a kid, and the tradition of grabbing a gumball whenever I see one has carried on to this day.
In a world where many are fixated on the grandeur of life’s big events – like birthdays, trips, holidays or the next long weekend – gumballs remind me of a different perspective. The gumball anchors me to the beauty of the happenings that surround me. I get it: It’s very easy to become more invested in an upcoming vacation than a monotonous algebra class. But if we spend all our time looking forward to the future, what happens to today?
I believe in the beauty of small joys. Gumballs have taught me an important lesson that I live by to this day: True happiness comes in small doses. There are so many little things that can easily slip through your fingers if you aren’t attentive. Things like a cool breeze on a summer’s day, the smell in the air after a heavy rainstorm, a fuzzy towel after a shower – and yeah, even a gumball – are what I find to be the most fulfilling parts of life. Taking the time to appreciate the things around me helps me stay grounded and positive.
So, the next time you hear the jingle of coins in your pocket, don’t just see it as spare change. See it as a reminder to slow down and enjoy the present. Grab yourself a gumball – heck, grab a handful if you can! Embrace the simplicity and relish the sweetness of life’s small pleasures. In the end, the old adage is true: “The greatest things come in the smallest packages.”
This I Believe Illinois is NPR Illinois' annual essay program for Illinois high school seniors. An expression of where their minds are as they prepare to enter the adult world. This I Believe was started by radio journalist Edward R. Murrow in 1951 to allow anyone able to distil the guiding principles by which they lived. Special thank you to our sponsors: The Rotary Club of Springfield Sunrise, Illinois Principals Association, Illinois Times, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, University of Illinois Springfield, and Cured Catering .
