My roommates and I had an almost perfect family home evening last night–I think the only thing lacking was a sugar-laden treat, and that was OK because none of us really wanted one. For the lesson we had a wonderfully serious and thoughtful discussion of the nature of God the Eternal Father; I LOVE having discussions with people I love about things that are important, not just to me, but to all of us. The near-perfect FHE came on the heels of a near-perfect retail experience with one of my roommates, J_H, who has begun an illustrious and hopefully long-lasting career as my personal shopper. (She’s a genius, that one. I normally loathe shopping.) Spending time with my roommates yesterday made me think of some of the many, many reasons I love them. Lots of people have terrible roommates; lots of people have tolerable roommates; some people have good roommates; I have the best roommates in the universe.
So here are just a few of the things I would write on their report cards (roommates listed in alphabetical order [by first name]):
C-t-P: Genuine, generous, loving, astonishingly patient (especially with difficult people). Makes fantastic taco soup and cornbread and other deliciousnesses. Listens with real thoughtfulness to different points of view. Seeks to understand and help others. Frequently shows friends she cares (high friendship maintenance skills).
J?H: Sweet, considerate, nocturnal (a superplus), talented. Sensitive to the needs of others. Strives to make others happy through service. Quiet and quirky. Owns scarves (not just the outerwear kind) and knows how to use them. Looks forward with breathless anticipation to nineteen nearly simultaneous rock (as in geology) shows in Arizona.
J_H: Fun, witty, ultra-handy, naturally fashionable. Loves sharing expertise with roommates. Quick to laugh. Makes potentially traumatic experiences (i.e., shopping) delightful through mad bargain-scoring skillz. Owns (and knows how to operate) apartment tool set and drill. Mad eructation skills nearly as impressive as bargain-scoring skillz (to dismay of C-t-P and delight of SRP/FF).