Expired Meters

Having arrived early to an appointment, I sat in my parked car checking emails on my phone when I first saw him through the windshield.  What is he doing?  Defensively ready to jump out of my car fearing that I was being issued a parking ticket - he was gone before I could release my seatbelt.He had never seen me sitting there.  He didn’t know me, or recognize my car, he wasn’t a traffic cop on duty – he was a meter fairy, a kindly older gentleman who noticed an expired meter as he strolled down the sidewalk and who decided without hesitation to dig a few coins out of his own pocket…just because.It took me a few seconds to understand what had just transpired. I can’t recall his face, but I remember the notable gait to his stride as he disappeared down the sidewalk.  He boasted a somewhat childlike, impish grin and left a trail of happy behind him.  He wasn’t looking to be noticed, he was just “being” - - being thoughtful, being considerate and chuckling to himself as he did it. Quarter by quarter, he was making an impact in someone else’s life whether they realized it or not.Time was up on my meter and an old way of thinking.  I wanted to tap into that energy – making magic out of the most mundane, to be present and amused throughout my day, no matter what.  I think of him and smile whenever I see a parking meter.  And now, my eyes are open and on the look out for my own fun…and to pay it forward.I hold loose change in a new regard.  Only a few random quarters…but oh the possibilities.