The Golden Rule.

I'm sure you all have heard it.

"Do unto others as you would have them do to you."

It's something that I live by.

People often ask me "Why do you do everything that you do?" i.e. cook dinner for 15 people every week, love your girls as hard as you do, drop by unannounced with cookies, drop by unannounced with just a hug, etc.

The answer is simple: I do what I would want someone else to do for me.

I love getting snail mail, so I try to write at least one letter to someone every month. I love cookies, so I bake them and just drop them off at people's houses. I wish someone would make me dinner, so I do it for others.

I want someone to take care of me, so I take care of others.

Some people call it karma...I call it The Golden Rule.

Yesterday, I was blessed by a big stroke of The Golden Rule.

Let me take a few steps back: One of my good friends, Kimberly (who is also one of the four I'll be living with next year), stopped by my place Tuesday night with some exciting news: she got in to the grad school program that she wanted to, as well as the summer internship that she wanted. We squealed a bit, jumped up and down a bit, hugged a bit, you know, general girl merriment festivities.

After we had settled down, she looked me square in the eye and said, "You look exhausted."

Folks, I was exhausted. I've been working between 40 and 50 hours the past few weeks plus other various activities. I could have easily curled up in bed at that moment and not woken up for at least a day.

Kimberly gave me a hug and some encouragement, but then showed herself out the door so that I could go upstairs to (finally) go to sleep.

Yesterday, I went to work. To say the least, it was a bad day. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and just couldn't snap out of the mood. After my shift ended, I got back in the car and drove home, grouchy and moody the whole way home. I was having 15 people over for dinner and I hadn't started cooking yet. The whole time home I was just thinking...I wish someone would cook dinner for me. Why doesn't anyone ever do anything nice for me?

Seriously...I was groooooouuchy.

I got home and plopped in front of the television for an hour before I decided to start cooking.

I headed upstairs...and near 'bout had a stroke.

My room was clean.

My entire room was clean. Straighted, vacuummed, dusted...genuinely cleaned!

I certainly hadn't done it.

The last time I checked my room looked like this:

Yeah, I know it's bad. I take care of others, but I really don't take care of myself. Feel free to judge.

But I feel like you should know exactly what this little cleaning fairy was getting herself into.

She may hate me for ratting her out, but the world needs to know just how good she really is.

Kimberly had talked with my roommate and come over and cleaned up my room while I was at work.

The ironic part about all of this is about 5 minutes before I headed upstairs I hit rock bottom in my selfish, grouchy mood and decided to share it with the universe on Twitter.

"The only thing I really want in my life is for someone to take care of me."

Oh Rebekah, if only you knew...

Well, give yourself about 38 seconds and you did.

I also would like to point out that Kimberly left a note for me explaining where she put everything. I love that the first line expresses how well she knows me.

Kimberly literally gave me the gift of time. I was able to take a nap yesterday, and I was able to enjoy being with the people that I had over for dinner because I wasn't thinking about the thousands of other things I needed to be doing at that moment. I got to go to sleep last night and not lie away worrying about when my to-do list was going to get done. I was able to pack for my adventure this weekend and not stress. I love coming home to clean house, but I knew it wasn't going to get done this time, and it really bothered me. She gave me peace of mind, time, sleep, and so much joy!

Kimberly, you are straight up, the best friend a girl could ask for. I love that I can come to you with anything and you accept me, love me, listen to me, rebuke me, advise me, and still at the end of it all, cherish me and our friendship. I am so excited to live with you next year so that I can serve you and beside you. I have loved getting to know you and becoming friends with you and watching you grow in the Lord and just as a person these past few years.

 

Words will never express how appreciative I am of our friendship. Not just for this extreme act of kindness, but also because you truly make me a better person. I love, love, love you.