I got a new roommate, and I have been tested and tried like never before. Actually, that is a lie – I think I had a similar experience in county. The difference between county and “big girl” prison is that almost everyone here is a long timer. We are expected to be respectful and mind our manners.
So what do you do when you live with someone who never learned what manners are? And no matter how many times you tell her not to do something, she still does it. I’ve turned into a germaphobic because she won’t stop touching my stuff. I’m wired about my personal space because we have hardly any. The one area that is mine is my locker. And she is constantly leaning on it, and I’ve been getting very aggravated by this.
Another thing that has always bothered me is bodily functions like burping and passing gas. I just don’t think it’s lady like – like for women to fart in front of people. Excuse yourself and do it outside of the room! But, not everyone has manners like I want them to have. The other day she was drinking a hot soda and burping like crazy, it seriously grossed me out.
But let me tell you what was really funny. She was snoring the other night and it was so loud. I was sitting at the desk writing and all of a sudden she let’s one rip and wakes herself up it was so loud. She said “excuse me”. I wasn’t sure if i was relieved because she wasn’t snoring anymore or if I was disgusted because she farted.
I know there is nothing I can do to fix this, this is part of the territory that comes with prison.
I am constantly having to ask God to help me to love her and help me to see her through his eyes because it is so easy to let resentments form and let small things grow like cancer. Loving people that are hard to love is always going to be a fact of life. Whether I am in prison, at work, and maybe even at home for some people. But that’s what we are called to do. To love the unlovables. Even ones that burp, fart and snore!
“God is love, whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us.” 1 John 4:16-17
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