I've Been Hitting Everyone in the Face Tonight

I've been hitting everyone in the face tonight! I lamented at our latest house party. Actually, I had only misjudged two passes as we were playing basketball, each time striking a different girl in the face. The really unfortunate thing about this was that while almost everyone else had already drunk a few beers, I had only consumed a small glass of cranberry juice, and I really had no excuse for missing.

How is it that I ended up at this party? It was a combination of my roommate turning 24, me living in community with people of differing lifestyles, and this party happening at my home. Alcohol has been one of those differences between myself and all my roommates this year. Belief in God has also not been a common denominator. So how do we all manage to live together?

Sometimes, it doesn't go very well. Several nights we've ended up very angry with each other during our soul food discussions, and we had an argument during Thanksgiving dinner that prompted one of our roommates to walk out on us. We all think differently about race and poverty and God, and I'm sure we'll never agree on those things.

But, after we go cool down, we come back to the table again the next week, and we continue to live in intentional community. I think our impromptu discussions about life and our emotions (and sometimes gossiping about each other a little bit) around the tiny kitchen table hold us together. And so do the activities that we all enjoy together. Like parties.

At first, I really didn't like partying with strangers when everyone's getting drunk, and when I can't seem to find a lot of common ground with these people. Let's face it, I'll never play flip cup or beer pong. But last night, while playing basketball with a good mixture of faces old and new, I felt refreshed (despite having a terrible headache). It's good to be yourself outside your comfort zone.