Two to three weeks ago, at work, the customer I was ringing up for a $16 purchase got that appalled look on his face. He realized his debit card was at home and all he had was a $2 bill in his wallet. Pretty sure it was his lucky $2 bill. We've all been in his shoes. We forgot our wallet, we forgot our debit card, we thought we had $20 in our purse only to discover one of the kids used it. The look on our face says it all. Sometimes it's followed by oh crap, or oh shit, or son-of-a-biscuit eater. In his case it was simple disbelief and owning he did not have the money he needed for the gift he was buying and a small grab-and-go meal. Nor did he live close by.
It was a simple fix. I said I've got this, and I did. My coworker said she'd get his food, and she did. He insisted he'd pay us back. I said look at it this way, you can pay us back or you can pay it forward, or we can call it all good. Easy peasy. Then he handed me the $2 bill from his wallet. It seemed an odd exchange, but sometimes the most priceless events are really just odd moments.
I tucked the $2 away in my wallet in a place that I wouldn't use it. Holding on to it seemed important. There are times when we recognize something is important, but have no idea why. We trust we'll figure it out eventually. I was grateful to pay his bill, and honored, albeit amused to accept his $2.
Today the young man showed up and reminded me that I'd waited on him several weeks ago. He said you paid my bill. I replied I worried you'd given me your lucky $2 bill, would you like it back? He absolutely did. I grabbed my wallet only to discover I'd hidden it quite well and was concerned it was gone. It was still there though. I think to the relief of all of us. He paid us back, I returned his $2. Hugs, thank you's and God bless you's ensued. It was good. More than good.
Sometimes when we come up short, we need someone to hold on to what little we have. Sometimes we plant a seed of faith and it greatly resembles a $2 bill. Sometime we have enough in our heart to give without expectation. Full stop. Gratitude in action.
It was a blessed beyond measure moment. With a value far far greater than the price of his purchase or his $2 deposit. It was trusting in it's purest form. Paying it forward and holding something priceless at the same time. We were changed by the moment, and it was good.