peacemaker?

Today was a day of peacemaking on many levels.

Story 1:  While walking from the Metro to my office, complete with coffee in hand and Ipod buds in ear, I encountered a man (homeless?) on the sidewalk.  We made eye contact, I smiled, and then he spoke.  To hear him, I removed my buds to "Do you have any change?" Today, I did, and so I smiled, (because usually I only carry my ATM card) and began to dig through my tote bag. While he waited, I pulled out strawberries from my lunch and gave them to him.  Now, digging through my tote bag is no easy task, as anyone who knows me will testify.

"I only have a quarter, but I actually do have change today!" I told the man, as I continued to move power cords, books, notebooks, pens, makeup, a toilet plunger (not really, but were you actually reading?)-- all to find one quarter. Crouched on the sidewalk, with the innards of my tote strewn about me, I paused when the man asked "Hey, will you need this quarter later today?"  He was concerned that I might need 25 cents more than he could need it.  Humbled.  That's the only word for how I felt.  With my Ipod and espresso, my sweater and my sandals, my Mac laptop and my crap (really)filled totebag, I might need 25 cents more than this homeless (or impoverished) man did.  Wow.  That's giving.  I finally found the quarter and gave it to him.  As I walked off, he asked, stepping closer "Hey, could I have your phone", and reached his hand out.  He stepped closer and I backed up, saying "No, it's for work." I smiled, but inside thought "Are you crazy?!"  He smiled and said, "Nah, I'm just messin' with ya."
I had two thoughts:

1) How quickly and easily I give food, time, smiles, money.  How less inclined I am to give my things. 
 2)  Back to that quarter issue.  He taught me generosity in that moment.

This man, was a peacemaker for me, today.

I don't want to run on tonight, so I'll just mention two other short things.

First-- I actually later that day needed the 25 cents to get out of the metro (I didn't have enough on my fare card).  Crazy, right?

Second-- This precariousness is challenging.  Mostly, because income necessitates lots of jobs right now for me.  Lots of piecing together.  Seemingly unlimited time is spent working.  This equals exhaustion.  And I remember, in this exhaustion, that the working poor are always tired. I hope I can be cheerful and joy-filled in my exhaustion and remember that it is part of my solidarity with them.  An added "bonus" that I didn't expect when I signed up for this experiment.

Signing off for the night to try and get a few extra hours of shut-eye.