Do you have a little change?

"Give a little change today? Do you have a little change?"

He kept calling out to the passers by, of which all of them did. We all passed by this man perched on the ledge of a mid-town Manhattan building. My group and I walked past him as he held out the clear Dixie cup and called

"Give a little change today?"

I averted my eyes. 

I am ashamed to say it, but that's how I've been programmed. What then goes through my mind is why, how and when and all sorts of unanswered questions. 

Guilt because my eyes avert, and I walk past. 
Then my group stood right in front of his space on the sidewalk while we waited for the tour bus. 

"Give a little change today?"
"Do you have a little change?"

The bus hadn't come yet. 
It was sure taking its sweet time. 

Finally, it dawned on me that this time didn't have to be like all the others I've encountered where someone needed money. 

Someone without a home, probably.

I decided that yes, I did have change. That part was very true. 
I decided that this was a door of opportunity for me. 

A different type of door than I've ever encountered, but a door nonetheless.

"Give a little change today?"

And, I opened my wallet and dug out my change.

I walked over to this man sitting on the ledge in downtown Manhattan and I looked into his eyes and smiled.  I dropped the change into his clear Dixie cup.

He thanked me from the bottom of his heart, while mine changed just a little bit that day.

Blessings to you today friend.
May we all be the change, just a little bit.

~Anne

Linking up with the fabulous writers at Five Minute Friday for five minutes of free writing. No fancy edits. Just writing from the heart. Head on over to katemotaung.com for all the details and to join in! This week's prompt is "door".