Taking personality personally.

Sometimes it is really difficult for me to understand people. Personality types have always bothered me. Is that egotistical to say? I shouldn't be wanting everyone to be just like me. All I wish I had in life was the opportunity to meet people who actually care. Who care enough to put forth the effort in any relationship. Diversity is a beautiful thing. That word gets thrown around a lot with the wrong definition in mind. A definition I read about and really appreciate is that diversity means, "a point of difference." That means somewhere in someones life, they hit a point that caused them to move in a different direction. They chose a different path than what we chose. They experienced different things and had different outcomes. Living here in Rome has really tested me with this concept. I live in a convent (yes, with nuns) and with 19 other college students, ranging from the west coast to the east and everything in between. Of course, that calls for conflict, tension, and weird encounters of every kind. My prayer all along on this trip has been to accept others for their beliefs and upbringing. How much is too much? How many rude remarks and glares do I take before I can stop putting forth effort? I understand that we are different and that some people are more emotional than others. Judgment can break up some great potential relationships though. I am by no means perfect at this or have it all figured out. The number one thing helping me accept other people studying here in this convent is knowing that although we all have a different "point of difference", our point of likeness is that we are all here in Rome from across the country looking for a connectedness needed in some corner of our lives.