Getting By With a Little Help From My Friends

Prepare yourself for a lengthy stream of consciousness.

I'm tired of being trivial. Truth be told, it's easier to write a Trivial Tuesday post than any other post, because it takes no more than 5 minutes, no brain power, and no emotion. For the last couple of weeks I have had lots of blog topics on my mind, but have been too physically and emotionally spent to write. But right this minute I feel like blogging again.

I have been thinking a lot lately about being nice and not being too cool for things. Here's why: For the last 10 days I have been in the throes of RA training, which means I have been spending hours every day educating Resident Assistants about everything from what to do when a resident has locked herself out of her apartment to what to do if a resident is suicidal. One morning at our special training up at Springhaven lodge (a super big, beautiful house that BYU uses for these types of things), we were all jamming out to an EFY song about being a light, and as I was clapping along to the beat, I thought "Most of my siblings would totally mock this, but I don't care. I'm surrounded by 100 amazing people who could have signed up for a way easier 20 hr./wk. job, but chose this because they love to love people." I have spent many years of my life mocking EFY music, rolling my eyes at certain Mormon traditions, and wanting to throw things at the people who dance around like fairies at Peter Breinholdt concerts. Why, though? Does being cynical and too cool make me have any more fun? NO--quite the contrary. So I just ate up RA Training week. I loved how excited they were when I taught my class on mentoring. They had so many fabulous comments. I smiled as I watched them get to know each other and build community within their group of RAs. And most of all, I cheered and hugged and celebrated with them as we helped each other through difficult and often scary obstacles at Camp Williams (the National Guard base here). And so, while I loathe eating at the cafeteria, and I dream of a bigger home, I have to say--I love my job. And besides loving the new, excited freshmen, and the dedicated, outgoing RAs, the best part about it is the amazing staff I work with. You know how it's nice to "get along just fine" with your co-workers? Well it's even better to love your co-workers so much that you hang out after work. My friend/visiting teacher/fellow Hall Advisor wrote about this job benefit here.

Along that vein, I have also been thinking a lot lately about friendship. This tender post by Traci got me thinking about old friends. I have been unbelievably blessed to have friends from Barbie-playing age to sharing awkward teenage years to rooming together in college--and, though we're now separated by distance, we're still as close as ever. And in college we made many AMAZING new friends along the way. And here's what I'm so grateful for: BLOGGING. Here's why: I have these major issues with guilt because I feel like I don't do a good enough job of keeping in touch with friends, mission companions, etc. (Does anyone else struggle with this guilt? Do I just need to relax and realize that life changes and we can't always be as close as we once were? I just want people to know that I love them!) But blogging has gotten me reconnected with many old friends and I'm so grateful for that.

Anyway, I guess the thing that ties all of these thoughts together, is that I've also been thinking a lot lately about life's trials. They are so diverse. And so abundant. As I've prayed for help through my own challenges and for those near and dear to me that are struggling, I have been so moved this week by the friends that have reached out to me and my family. And it struck me that the service and love given by these friends has been in direct answer to those prayers. This week my amazing, tough, brave, (insert any other complimentary adjective here because it fits) sister, Liz, had a miscarriage. The situation went from normal to life-threatening FAST. As you read her post, you'll find that she has had a tremendous outpouring of support from friends, family, and neighbors. But I was also touched that as I related what had happened to friends and co-workers, I received a similar outpouring of concern and comfort. My manager told me not to come to work and to get right to the hospital. My visiting teachers/friends brought hugs. Cute Danielle even cried about it with me for heaven's sake!

So yeah, I have been feeling anything but trivial, and just want to say that I think the whole purpose of life is to be kind and to love each other. Life is fleeting. It is fragile. It is precious. We don't have time to be mean or cynical or negative. Just to be happy and hard-working and unselfish and loving.