I am pleased to feature Elizabeth Losey as Guest Blogger #3 in this student blog series. In her moving reflection, The Night Our House Got Bigger, Elizabeth shows that servant leadership is not always loud or formal. Sometimes it looks like opening your home, adjusting your routines, and choosing compassion over convenience. Her story is a beautiful reminder that leadership often begins with love, sacrifice, and the quiet decision to put someone else’s needs first.
The night my best friend moved in, our house got smaller—and somehow bigger at the same time. When she turned eighteen, she needed a way out of a home that wasn’t safe for her mentally, and my mom didn’t hesitate to open ours. What started as a problematic situation quickly became an unexpected lesson in leadership. Watching my mom rearrange our space, our routines, and our lives to make room for someone else showed me that leadership doesn’t always come with a title. Sometimes it looks like sacrifice, quiet decisions, and choosing people over comfort.
I remember the first time I offered to have my best friend move in; she was venting about her family, as she often did, and I said, “Okay, Madi, can I just adopt you?” Little did I know that in two months, that statement would become reality. When she moved in, it was like a giant sleepover, and knowing that it was going to last until she went to college in the fall is still surreal to me. Although I had to do a lot to open my space for her, my mom was the real superhero. My mom sacrificed her privacy, rearranged the house, and gave up comfort, time, and money. All because she knew I loved Madi, and she needed a place to stay.
People’s reaction to this adjustment still makes me laugh. We kept this arrangement on the down low for a while, and as people slowly started to find out, especially in school, it is an interesting adjustment now that we live together. Our friends have been so helpful and understanding in this time of change for us, and my family has all opened their arms for Madi in a way I could never have expected. Overall, Madi has been an amazing addition to our family. She has brought me closer to my siblings and family.
She has opened my eyes and made me realize how grateful I am to live a wonderful life. And our friendship is flourishing better than ever. Watching this, I realized that authentic leadership isn’t about control or authority—it’s about caring, listening, and putting others first. My mom showed empathy to my best friend by understanding her situation and feelings, even though she could not relate. My parents have always been there for me with a hug and a smile.
But to see them consistently show up for my best friend, my siblings, and me is a whole other level. They have been there for Madi with a hot dinner and open ears. Trust has been a major factor, as my entire family trusted her to live responsibly in our house, having only known her for a short time. Even though it was hard, I have trusted her with many of my things, including my car, space, bathroom, and more. And, of course, my mom has consistently put others before herself and sacrificed so much to ensure another person’s comfort. We all have had to adjust to make it work, including carpooling to school, going out of our way to get something she wants, making her favorite dinner dish, and more.
But for my mom, putting others before herself has never been a problem; she always makes sure everyone else is taken care of before herself. Watching my mom open our home for my best friend taught me that leadership isn’t about giving orders or being in charge—it’s about seeing what others need, trusting them, and putting their well-being first. I’ve realized that even small acts of care can make a huge difference. Even though this story might seem focused on my best friend and her struggles, the real hero, from my perspective, is my mom. The leader of our family is always resilient and has a generous/helping heart. If more people led with service instead of control, what kind of world could we create?
Elizabeth Losey is a concurrent student at Cloud County Community College and Minneapolis High School and plans to graduate in 2028. She hopes to become a dental hygienist one day. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, along with hanging out with her dog and staying involved in things she cares about.
