People I'm thankful for

[in transit]

- K, the affable white-haired homeless gentleman who always greets me when I'm walking to church

- J, former bus-driver turned hospital greeter whose intense and intentional care for each person he meets always surprises me (who actually listens for an answer to "how are you?" nowadays? so different, so refreshing)

- T, new bus driver! hehe she's taught me a lot about bus design and driving techniques

[at home]

- parents who care but don't hover (ha! surprising, given previous track record. beyond expectations. though maneuvering parent-child relationship in this growing-up process is still kinda odd. many intersecting roles to play, as relate to homelife and worklife and schoollife and interference/nudging in siblinglife)

- siblings who communicate and share about life, both the deep aching hurting learning growing leaning-in parts and the fun oh-did-you-see-this isn't-this-awesome parts

- roommates who I'm very very slowly getting to know. this idea of living in the same apt but with closed doors is so utterly strange. need a lot more intentionality to grow in closeness.
[Side note: I still prefer what I got used to at home: open doors, everyone in everyone else's faces/space, noise, interaction. You had to work really hard to be alone... developed well-honed focusing skills to filter out hustle-and-bustle-of-other-ppl. Is this normal?? The I don't want to bother you (or I want my privacy) mentality? Is this what typically happens in living situations? in families? This is kinda like what J was like with his parents and I was always so (confused? annoyed? discomfited?) about how separate ppl's lives could be though living in the same space. Perhaps this is more common than I had thought, and I shouldn't have been so frustrated about a household/family style different from my own.]

[in fellowship]

- JHIF folks: hospitality, just wow! such care for students and scholars and workers around the Hopkins med/grad campus, esp those whose homes are far far away. and a deep love for the Word.

- GCB downtown: love. importance of gospel, grace through faith. intentionality of touch. sharing. worship. symbolism of movement and gestures. openness.

- GCB gc: generosity. excitement. REALLY wide range of experiences and backgrounds and coming-to-know-Jesus stories and life trajectories. diversity of ages and ethnicities and voices.

- phcf: ah what a wonder it is to be in an all-girl group! sharing of joy and life and sorrow and guy-troubles and laughter and and food. keke and introducing me to bethel live (jamming out and dancing in my room to this)

[short-list elsewhere]
- A, whose friendship I cherish a whole lot esp after not being in touch through college. glad for a day to traipse through DC together, exploring his work-office and eating delicious munchies and talking about all things under the sun. hehe and for being able to sit in silence and do work without being awkward.

- C, who was willing to do "spiritual bootcamp" with me... accountability and encouragement and mutual wonderment at the awesomeness of God. plus, tidbits of life back in Hton. keke Day 33 aujourd'hui! comme c'est merveilleux!! 

- galfriends who email and gchat and ghangout and call... despite being many hrs and miles apart!