Think of someone you love very much. Think of all the qualities and characteristics that you love about this person. With Valentine’s Day drawing near, “Asked on the Line” conducted 21 random informal interviews with men in blue and outside volunteers, and asked: “Among the qualities and characteristics of a person you love very much, which do you also possess?”
More than half of the 16 mainliners and three outside volunteers had short, immediate answers. The rest thought about it and expressed their deep feelings about the qualities that they share with the person they love.
Almost everyone focused on aspects of personality and on character traits such as charm, charisma, thoughtfulness, patience, compassion, and loyalty.
Eddie Griffin shares similar traits with his mother. “One trait that we share is that we are always willing to give something to others. Whether it’s time or some material, we’re compassionate about sharing with others when we are in a position to do so,” said Griffin.
Darnell Hill and Kerwin Jackson share certain characteristics with the women they are in love with, their wives. Jackson said, “My wife and I are both caring people. We are also very motivated and walk by faith. We sometimes make mistakes but we know to get back up.”
“We are always willing to give something to others”
Hill said, “We share the ability to endure suffering and can love each other despite our circumstances. We both share the spiritual trait in learning God’s word and His principles in love and marriage. We both have an understanding between intimacy with God and in our marriage and we both have learned how to have emotional intimacy without physical intimacy.”
Kenyatta Leal said he loves his grandmother, the Rev. Mary Lucille Childs, and both knew how to give “unconditional love” to others. “When I think of her, that’s the fi rst thing that comes to my mind. From the time I was born, until God took her home,” said Leal.
Donald Larus shares traits with a friend that he loves. “We don’t have much, but we know we can always give love. She showed me how to are,” said Larus.
Naomi Rochovnick of the on-site Centerforce program in education said she shares values with her spouse. “We both have integrity, a strong sense of humor, and intelligence.”
Sue Pixley, a college instructor and volunteer tutor with Project REACH, said that she shares gentleness, intelligence, and patience with the friend that she loves. “We are also very good listeners,” Pixley added.
Caroline Hardee, another volunteer with Project REACH, said she and a friend that she loves share the character traits of kindness, a good sense of humor, and appreciativeness.
