As Told Over Brunch

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What 3 traits do you value most in people?

So a few weeks ago my sister came to visit, and I volunteered to make us dinner one night. We went grocery shopping, bought our supplies and an entire box of wine. Successful girl's night in the making, right? So I (well, let's be honest, it was probably more so her) cooked dinner, and then invited Cazey over. And then we drank.

Most people, when they drink, get drunk and dance, or cry, or bitch about relationships, or bitch about being single, or any combination of the above. But not Cazey and my sister. Nay, they debate politics, recite history, predict future economies, and engage in other deep philosophical discussions.

They were losing me a bit, until Cazey presented this question: what three traits do you value most in other people? Without hesitation, my sister counts hers off:

  1. Personal responsibility for their actions and where they are in life
  2. Sense of humor
  3. Ambition
  4. *Bonus points: Her favorite thing is seeing people doing what they enjoy, whatever that may be.*

Then, without a pause, Cazey reciprocates:

  1. Competency
  2. Self-awareness
  3. Ambition

And I had nothing.

What does it say about me that I can mumble out some half-hearted answers, but don't have hard sets of values that I look for in people? Even as I sit here, weeks later, it's difficult for me to pin point.

I value honesty, loyalty and people pursuing their passions, but once hearing my sister's and Cazey's answers, I would also have to say that humor, self-awareness and ambition also sound really excellent. I really hate getting lied to, but I also can't stand when people don't stand for anything.

So that leaves me wondering, what do I really value most in people? I can name the three songs I'd listen to for the rest of my life if I could only have three forever ("She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5, "Sugar We're Going Down" by Fall Out Boy and "You Raise me Up by Josh" Groban), but yet I can't specify what I like best about people. Maybe that should tell me something about myself.

Can you name the three things you value most in people? Leave them in the comments.

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