Context

I was talking with one of my friends the other day and realized how important context is--how important it is to really get to know people, to know their motives, the "thoughts and intents of their heart" if you'll allow me to quote a bit of scripture.

For example, she and I were talking about how absolutely pathetic I may look on paper.

• 28, didn't graduate BYU until I was 26
• Graduated BYU single (woah!)
• Didn't go to high school (GED, baby!)
• Lives with mother
• Jazz fan living in Laker-land and with a dog named Kobe

Awesome, right? But when you dig a little bit deeper, I think there are very legitimate reasons for a life that has been less than ideal, or different from what I'd planned on and hoped for.

• Health problems that weren't resolved enough until 21 to start college
• Would rather be happy and single than unhappy and married
• Health problems again--being bedridden for several years makes high school impossible
• Saving up for a house, and really, who's a better roommate than my hilarious mom? And who else has my same internal body temperature? We're a/c people and I love it. Plus, she lets me have my big, fun dog. It's temporary and it's a means to an end.
• My uncle has been with the Jazz since they moved to Salt Lake. It's in my blood. "Stockton" didn't have quite the same ring to it. "Kobe" just . . . fit. Big, black, loves playing with a ball. It works.

As much as we do need to make intermediate judgments (thank you, Dallin H. Oaks), I'm grateful for friends and family who've looked beyond my poor resume. Love you all!