It was my first time living alone. After 7 months, I was at my wits end. I HATED everything about the experience, with the exception of the fact that my apartment was constantly spotless. I missed having someone to chat with at night. I missed having someone to bump into in the morning. I've always loved the way roommates naturally become your best friend just by virtue of exposure.
It was heart-breakingly lonely to be living alone for me. It might be easier on someone who doesn't enjoy the sociality of a home life, or people who thrive on TV or hobbies. I do neither.
I had one of those moments where I just couldn't handle it any more and offered a very sincere prayer for a new roommate. With in the week I had a phone call from a girl I'd never met before who was looking for a place to live. She seemed to campaign hard to move in. I readily accepted and then realized I should probably meet her first. When she came to meet me, I became a little worried. Her life story was a little...sketchy. I spent that night having night mares of things going terribly wrong on the home front and berating myself for accepting this new living companion without getting to know her better. But the deal had been made, so she moved in.
I liked her from the start. We both love French. Her father served a French-speaking mission. She was highly creative, and clearly talented. She was very honest - a trait I love. She loves having people over as much as I do. She really likes people, just like I do.
For the first few months there was friction in the sense that we are both rather opinionated and often our chatting resulted in arguments. But then there was the time that I looked up everything she was arguing and texted her a list of cites proving she was wrong. I knew it was a jerk thing to do, but she didn't punch back. She said she stood corrected, and that melted my heart just a little. I love it when people are nice when I'm a jerk. I just absolutely respect their bigness.
Then there was the time she came home and almost gave her last dollar to the people she met at the gas station who were living out of their car. I talked her out of giving her money, but she just looked at me and said - if you met them, you would see how much they needed it. She just has a natural sense of compassion that I really love. I've seen her buy a new bed so she could give her old one away to a friend. I've literally seen her give her car away to a friend in need. She used to cook me breakfast in the morning. All winter she's always left the heater on in the bathroom for me. She just has a really huge heart and kindness is a very natural thing for her.
I could go on and on.
I have a friend who is always wondering how the two of us get along - as in she seems doubtful that we could. But we get along quite well, and I feel privileged to have her for a roommate. This month we've been roommates for TWO YEARS!! That's so crazy.
Sometimes you take your chances, and it turns out to be one of the best things you ever could have done.
No comments:
Post a Comment