Ecumenical co-worker

 

One of my new co-workers isn't actually all that new. They came from another library branch to begin with, and they worked here for one day a week for quite a few months before they came over to work here full time. But when I walked in to work today, and saw them engaged in close conversation with another co-worker, the word for this newer colleague of mine popped into my head:

Ecumenical.

I didn't know for sure I had the meaning of the word correct, so I looked it up:

"Representing a number of different Christian churches."

But the second definition was where the meat of it was for me:

"Promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian churches."

Setting aside the "Christian" part in the definition, this person seems to forge bonds with everyone.

And it's not just a false niceness, or a polite easygoing manner, or some kind of general friendliness. It's more like whenever I turn around there they are with yet another person I've never seen them talking to, and they are getting along like old chums! They are talking and laughing more like only special work buddies do. 

But with this new co-worker, their special work buddy is, well, ecumenical.

This is fine.

It's nice even.

I have talked to this person too. It is a super friendly and congenial experience. They are not fake. They laugh at jokes. They have things of their own to say. And in between all of this, they do quite a bit of shelving.

So...

This is a great new co-worker!

And I'm not complaining, but...

It isn't really my thing.

My judgement, good or bad, cannot really manifest until this person hates something. Or dislikes someone. Or has a hard time with something.

I don't wish anything unhappy upon them.

I don't ever really need to know them.

 But to see the shape of the light, we need the dark.