This week was (the awesome) Chester Anthony Mancini's 21st birthday!
Super sadly, we were not all together to take him out for bowling and Chinese food, as is the ultra-hardcore Wheaton College version of celebrating a 21st birthday. So he must get a blog post of old photos instead.
Chet and I had an awkward meeting during orientation week freshman year (if you really want to hear the story, y'all can hunt him down because this is my blog and I like to make myself sound cool, not awkward. Usually.), after which I turned to my roommate and said, "That guy thinks I'm weird now, doesn't he?". To which she replied, "Umm... well... it's okay, you'll probably never see him again."
Thankfully, her prediction was wrong. Not only did I see him again but we developed one of my closest and most fun and encouraging friendships at Wheaton.
This is despite the fact that we are "fundamentally different" (his words, not mine). They came in the context of going out for dinner one Sunday night. He, as the driver, wanted to know something lame like where we were intending on going. I, as the planner, of course had thought we would all just decide that once we were actually on the road. When he expressed concern that he didn't actually know which way to drive, then, and I expressed confusion about why this would bother him, the classic comment was made.
He was my "Big Sibs" partner- a Wheaton tradition where two sophomores take a group of new freshman into the city during orientation week. He patiently put up with my making him carry a sign like this:
and making our group refer to themselves as "Team Awesome" (and do a corresponding chant), and balanced out my hyper-enthusiasm with actual helpful information about adjusting to Wheaton and making sure no one got lost.
Chet...
*has one of the biggest hearts of gold of anyone I know and would do absolutely anything to help someone in need.
*He is one of the quickest people I know with an encouraging word and is never embarrassed or hesitant to point out positive characteristics, growth, and ways he sees God at work in others.
*He also has been a source of challenging words at times for me, and I've so appreciated the ways he's refused to let me wallow in self-pity or insecurity (Story: I sent out an overapologetic text message once, over nothing in particular. This was immediately following a series of conversations about all of us needing to trust each other and ourselves more, which I was conveniently deciding to forget about in favor of the asking for affirmation. Instead of replying to it, he walks in to our apartment to hang out later that night, looks straight at me, and kindly but without preamble goes, "So, I thought we were done being insecure about Thursday dinners." This might not be that funny to anyone besides our apartment and the boys, but it was kind of awesome timing, and definitely what I needed to hear.) At times when I have asked him for honest feedback and he's given it, he's never made me feel judged or looked down upon but instead manages to help me see ways I can grow but also ways I am growing. It's a hard thing to be able to do, and it is truly a gift he has.
*He's way funnier than he gives himself credit for. Really. Were we to ever have dance parties in our apartment, which we definitely wouldn't because they are against the rules, but hypothetically were we ever to, and he came, you would definitely agree with me.
*When I need to remember the Gospel, he is one of the first people I go to. Many a text message has been sent to this kid (I'm sure not only by me) asking for a Scripture reference or a reminder of truth when I'm feeling stressed or scared, and he is always quick to give it.
*We loved living in the apartment right across from him this year and nights when he would come hang out and drink tea and do homework at the kitchen table were one of my favorite parts of junior year.
*He gets especial props for several times where he did so just because I had to stay up late to finish a paper and I was bored and falling asleep being the only one up.
*And also for being willing to come out of his apartment late at night in pouring rain when my roommates and I needed someone to take our picture.
*He's been one of the most consistent people reminding me he's praying for me over HNGR.
Consistency, is, in fact, one of the biggest things I appreciate about Chet. I was describing a bunch of my friends to someone recently and when I got to him I started thinking about how I would say that he is truly a rock in our group of friends. He is consistently present, encouraging, friendly, available to help or hang, and seeking God, and we all appreciate it so much.
Even though he managed to avoid both the Canada and the Minnesota road trip with ridiculous excuses like "two months in the Middle East" and "family vacation". Really?
We love you, Chet! Wish I could see you to celebrate.
Super sadly, we were not all together to take him out for bowling and Chinese food, as is the ultra-hardcore Wheaton College version of celebrating a 21st birthday. So he must get a blog post of old photos instead.
Chet and I had an awkward meeting during orientation week freshman year (if you really want to hear the story, y'all can hunt him down because this is my blog and I like to make myself sound cool, not awkward. Usually.), after which I turned to my roommate and said, "That guy thinks I'm weird now, doesn't he?". To which she replied, "Umm... well... it's okay, you'll probably never see him again."
Thankfully, her prediction was wrong. Not only did I see him again but we developed one of my closest and most fun and encouraging friendships at Wheaton.
This is despite the fact that we are "fundamentally different" (his words, not mine). They came in the context of going out for dinner one Sunday night. He, as the driver, wanted to know something lame like where we were intending on going. I, as the planner, of course had thought we would all just decide that once we were actually on the road. When he expressed concern that he didn't actually know which way to drive, then, and I expressed confusion about why this would bother him, the classic comment was made.
He was my "Big Sibs" partner- a Wheaton tradition where two sophomores take a group of new freshman into the city during orientation week. He patiently put up with my making him carry a sign like this:
and making our group refer to themselves as "Team Awesome" (and do a corresponding chant), and balanced out my hyper-enthusiasm with actual helpful information about adjusting to Wheaton and making sure no one got lost.
Chet...
*has one of the biggest hearts of gold of anyone I know and would do absolutely anything to help someone in need.
*He is one of the quickest people I know with an encouraging word and is never embarrassed or hesitant to point out positive characteristics, growth, and ways he sees God at work in others.
*He also has been a source of challenging words at times for me, and I've so appreciated the ways he's refused to let me wallow in self-pity or insecurity (Story: I sent out an overapologetic text message once, over nothing in particular. This was immediately following a series of conversations about all of us needing to trust each other and ourselves more, which I was conveniently deciding to forget about in favor of the asking for affirmation. Instead of replying to it, he walks in to our apartment to hang out later that night, looks straight at me, and kindly but without preamble goes, "So, I thought we were done being insecure about Thursday dinners." This might not be that funny to anyone besides our apartment and the boys, but it was kind of awesome timing, and definitely what I needed to hear.) At times when I have asked him for honest feedback and he's given it, he's never made me feel judged or looked down upon but instead manages to help me see ways I can grow but also ways I am growing. It's a hard thing to be able to do, and it is truly a gift he has.
*He's way funnier than he gives himself credit for. Really. Were we to ever have dance parties in our apartment, which we definitely wouldn't because they are against the rules, but hypothetically were we ever to, and he came, you would definitely agree with me.*When I need to remember the Gospel, he is one of the first people I go to. Many a text message has been sent to this kid (I'm sure not only by me) asking for a Scripture reference or a reminder of truth when I'm feeling stressed or scared, and he is always quick to give it.
*We loved living in the apartment right across from him this year and nights when he would come hang out and drink tea and do homework at the kitchen table were one of my favorite parts of junior year.
*He gets especial props for several times where he did so just because I had to stay up late to finish a paper and I was bored and falling asleep being the only one up.
*And also for being willing to come out of his apartment late at night in pouring rain when my roommates and I needed someone to take our picture.
*He's been one of the most consistent people reminding me he's praying for me over HNGR.
Consistency, is, in fact, one of the biggest things I appreciate about Chet. I was describing a bunch of my friends to someone recently and when I got to him I started thinking about how I would say that he is truly a rock in our group of friends. He is consistently present, encouraging, friendly, available to help or hang, and seeking God, and we all appreciate it so much.
Even though he managed to avoid both the Canada and the Minnesota road trip with ridiculous excuses like "two months in the Middle East" and "family vacation". Really?
We love you, Chet! Wish I could see you to celebrate.
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