It’s been nearly a year together and my roommate is the first of the two of us to have a birthday, though he is talking about evil plans for next month involving mine. A little review of what happened here. I had been planning for months a surprise birthday party for him and called people and told them where to park and I’d come pick them up.
This morning, I wake up early, but I’m not getting up. Instead, I’m staying in bed reading and what not while I wait for him to leave for he has to be at work at 11. He later told me that seemed odd as I’m usually up by then. While he’s at work, I’m getting things ready by going into town and picking up the cake and telling people to park at a nearby shopping center where I will pick them up and then bring them here.
My roommate works where the Seminary is and the guy who runs the bookstore is working with me and keeps him busy. Good thing to for we were told the eagle had left the nest while I was still picking up our friends. It was my prayer at the time that God in his mercy would send my roommate some red lights. He got here and I had my friends hiding out in my room lighting candles on the cake.
Needless to say, when one came out, my friend was surprised but then they all come out singing happy birthday. He is embarrassed at first, understandably, as I think I would be too, but then is quite pleased. He then gets his gifts and we spend the next few hours chatting about issues in politics and apologetics and other such topics.
So what can I say about him for his birthday blog?
My roommate is my best friend in this world. I don’t mean that do lower my other friends. We have been compared by some of them to David and Jonathan or Frodo and Samwise. There’s just something different when you live with someone and get to know them better and they get to know you better. There have been ups and downs for us, but when the day comes to an end, I know I have my best friend in this world. I cheer him on for whatever he does and I realize many times that I have my strongest supporter and friend in him.
My roommate has helped me come out of my shell more than anyone else has probably. I can do things today that I thought I would never be able to do simply because of his friendship and many times when facing a situation that would normally make me nervous I think “If he was here, I’d be able to do it.” That’s not to discount the presence of God in our lives, but I think God gives us visible reminders often in the form of friends.
Of course, there is a way to go still and he knows that, but he’s not a pusher also. Sometimes, he’s blunt, but many times, it is needed, and that bluntness has awakened me out of some dogmatic slumbers. I am often struck with wonder when I think about how I now live with my best friend and how we’ve made it through everything so far.
He’s also a very intelligent guy as I’ve seen through our encounters with Mormons where I wonder sometimes where he pulls out some of the things he says because I think they’re great. I appreciate his unique perspective on many things, especially if he notices something I’ve overlooked. It is this that helps us most as we can usually tell where the other is going in a debate such as with Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses and are able to work with the other.
I think he’s an excellent Christian also and I do see many times his concern for those who are not in the way of righteousness and seek to emulate it. I can tell that he’s spent much time pondering about those who are in other worldviews and wants to have as much information about them as he can. He also tends to read the people who we interact with and I think he does a good job. I’m not one much on the social scene so his ability of noticing what people are saying by body language and such is a great blessing.
He puts up with me as well which for me is astounding. I do not think I could have anyone better for a roommate. Things have come a long way from the time he sent me a message on our theology site after seeing me handle some atheists and giving me a final fantasy avatar to use. I don’t wonder if any of us thought at the time where we would be a few years from that time.
Yet here we are. Eventually, we’ll graduate and hopefully before that, find wives that we can start families with, but there is no doubt that through it all, our friendship will stay strong and true.
To my roommate who is my best friend then, I wish you a happy birthday. May I never take it for granted that I can wake up every day and call you friend.
Support Deeper Waters on Patreon!
