I got caught on a toll road this afternoon with no change.

Stopped in bumper-to-bumper traffic I ransacked my wallet, glove compartment, and the console under the shoulder rest for spare change.  But, I’ve been so mindful about keeping my new car clean that there wasn’t a cent to be found.

I moved on to my laptop and lunch bags.  Still no change, but amazingly, my checkbook.  I started carrying it with me as a reminder to write my childcare provider a check every Friday.

While still in stand-still traffic I quickly wrote out a $1.25 check to the State of Massachusetts.  I said a short prayer – set an intention that the trying, for now, was enough.  Then, I rolled up to the CASH ONLY booth.

As I extended the paper, the kind, young man working the booth shook his head without ever removing his ear buds.

“Can’t take that,” he said, slightly louder than necessary.

“It’s all I have.”

He paused for a moment.  “Okay, okay,” he said, motioning for me to put the check away and go on through.

“Thank you,” I beamed.  “Thank you, thank you.”

“Just pay it forward,” he shouted as I began to pull away.

“I promise, I will.  I really will.”

And so, tomorrow, I get to discover a way to turn $1.25 into someone else’s grateful break.