Today I want to mention 2 people who have made my 2-year stint in LA very worthwhile. Not that other friends have not blessed me, or that I have not learned something from every interaction I've had. But these two women in particular are worth highlighting because 1) I saw them frequently enough to come to admire their character and integrity and 2) there are things about them that I want and need to learn.
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2 months after I moved back to LA to take care of my mom, I landed a full-time job working in senior housing. My co-worker, HC, and I hit it off as both co-workers and sisters in the Lord, and seeing and working with her 3 days a week for the last 2 years has been a huge blessing. HC has a heart of gold, and she is a very direct person who values honesty and draws clear boundaries. That has made working with her so easy and conversing with her so refreshing. She tells things as they are, asks hard questions, and is very real. I always know that I'm seeing the Real HC and that there is no pretense. In day-to-day situations, I often hear her say, "My question to you is…." "What I need you to do is…" She never assumes things and is always willing to ask or explain things clearly so that there is no room for miscommunication. She lets her "yes be yes" and her "no be no". In a building of nearly 100 residents, she manages things efficiently and has trained residents to respect boundaries and be responsible for their part in the community. As a natural people-pleaser, I admire HC's ability to be direct and to have pure motives. I'm going to miss seeing her at 8 am and praying with her before a day of work. Thank you for modeling what it means to be a genuine person who cares about people with honesty and integrity!
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| Here we are at a mutual friend's wedding (one of the few times we saw each other outside of work) |
The other person I want to highlight is my current roommate, RN. I met her through BSF (a Bible study), where she was my discussion group leader. I admired her ability to listen well and to facilitate group discussions. When BSF ended, our friendship continued. We began inviting each other into various activities and social circles of our lives, until a year later, we saw each other several times a week. Becoming roommates has been a blessing, and I will cherish this time we've had together. RN and I are both introverts, and both of us are pretty good listeners. What I admire about her is her ability to maintain a thriving community life despite being an introvert and how present she is in every social situation. I always sense that she wants to be there and is interested in the people she's with. She shows this interest by asking good questions, questions that are open-ended and allow people to elaborate and process things in a meaningful way. As someone who can listen well but struggles with asking good questions, I want to be more like my roommate in the way she engages in conversation. She's moving away from LA a few months after I leave, so I'm so grateful I got to know and live with her in this season!
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| We spent 12 hours together at the Happiest Place on Earth! |
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