L is for... Love.

Recently I have found that I am in love with my coworkers. Like obsessed. Not like "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" obsessed, but I have come to really love the people that I work with. I see their faults, but I see how wonderful they are and have come to (for the most part) be able to see past their follys and really cherish the people that they are.

Blake is one of the kindest and most sincere people that I have ever known. He has only the best intentions in mind when he does anything. He is also the best conversationalist that I have ever met. Blake makes me feel like I can open up about anything and he will understand, even if he has never experienced anything like it. I feel like he is the last person on earth who would judge me. I have come to regard Blake as the second most honorable and wonderful man that I have ever met, right after Boyd. I honestly wish the best for him.

And then there is Baby Skyler. I feel like every summer there is one boy that I just love and want to spend all my time with. Skyler is that boy this summer. Skyler is not naive, but he is innocent. He has the best laugh. He has the strangest bipolar temperament that I've ever known. Sometimes I'll say something to him or meow at him or wink at him and his eyes light up. And then I feel good about myself. Skyler is talented and kind and sweet... he's just an all around good person.

And MegP... have I ever had such a good suitemate? No. Megan loves Katy Perry's California Girls. It comes on and she dances like you've never seen anyone dance. Really what makes her special is that she is quite the tender person. You'd never know it by her tendency to say things with a straight/serious face, but she's a good person. She cares about others and feels things deeply. She is generous and kind. When you matter to her, you know it. And when it gets to the point that she loves you, she'd cut anyone for you. She stands up for what she believes in and has taught me a lot in the last few months. Even when we fight or argue she can apologize and forgive and forget.

Ariel makes me laugh like nobody's business. She is her own person. While everyone around her says that her older sister bosses her around and should be cut off from her presence, Ariel says that she does so much for her and she really appreciates having Blanca as her sister. Between the two... I would take Ariel any day. She is fun and funny. The best part about her is that she really doesn't try to be funny, but rather she just IS. Some of my favorite quotes from Ariel have been: "real men stand on grass," "I know a few people who would eat a dead horse," "No offense, but white people have walls in front of their doors," and "it sounds like he just soiled himself." Also, she is the epitome of Asian, with her little hat headbands, parasol in the sun, do it yourself manicures and exotic snacks. Also, she plays along when we describe or call her Asian. She's Asian, she knows it and she's proud of it.

I didn't really understand Annette at first. Was she just really flirty? I don't know. But I have come to regard Annette as a person of high integrity, moral fiber and sweetness. Annette is just silly and happy. She gives off these vibes of good feelings. And... the way that she and Evan Moss look at each other makes me really really happy. Annette: a woman of tender feelings who loves the people around her.

Erynn pretends to be tough but she isn't. I don't mean this in a rude sense. What I mean is that Erynn is a good person despite her threats to beat you up. She loves deeply. It's only in the most private of times that I see how much she really misses her little missionary. She's always up for an adventure, whether that means Wendy's late at night or driving to a hot spring that no one knows the actual location of. She's a good sport about everything, and even when she's upset or frustrated she doesn't let other people know about it. She's cool, calm and collected. And she gets things done. She is definitely the best person to have with you when someone needs to be yelled at for something.

Cole really loves his fiance, Allie. It's hard to get to know Cole because he is with Allie so much. But when you talk to him about her he lights up. I was really nervous about working with Cole because he and Dave are best friends. But Cole doesn't hold my old relationship with Dave against me. In fact, he doesn't stick up for Dave. I try not to mention it around him, but when it has come up Cole acts like it was someone he didn't know that I dated and didn't get along with too well. I feel sometimes like Cole understands the essence of being as well as the human condition, and I don't really even know what that means. Cole understands people and feelings. And I think that that is definitely a good quality to have.

And last, but not least, is MegN. MegN does quite a bit of behind the scenes work at the desk that everyone else is either too lazy to do or has no idea that it should be done. She is inwardly reflective. She tends to take the world in and process it. She feels comfortable sitting alone in the quiet. She knows the gospel is true. And she loves shoes just as much as I do. She loves Sam. Sam is a good guy and loves her, too. She loves her family and her friends. She knows who she is and stands up for herself and what she believes in. She's also pretty forgiving, as you can tell from the fact that she's still friends with me after how I treated her when I thought she reported me for sexual harassment.

Pretty much, I've learned to love these people. I feel like I've gotten to know them so much better in the last three months. I sincerely believe that we all were hired for this job for a reason. Why was I hired? Did I change someone's life this summer, or was I meant to change their's? Was I meant to learn to love another batch of strangers? Was I meant to learn of the hardships that can come from loving these people? Last summer I felt no purpose in being here. I didn't love my coworkers like I had the year before. This summer took me back to that first summer when I made friends that would last a lifetime and beyond. Am I glad that the summer is coming to an end? Yes. But I will cry. I'm sure I'll move into my apartment and the moment I stop moving around I will collapse on the floor and sob for the people that I have loved that I will no longer be spending every meal and countless hours of the day with. These people have changed my life and the way that I see others. They have surprised me. They have made me explore myself. Two things I know for sure: not only do I know these people better after this summer, but I know myself better because of them. Also, these are the people that I have found myself thanking my Heavenly Father for recently. Very few people have entered my prayers with such frequency. I am grateful for these people and the experiences that we have had together.