A woodpecker had constructed his home in the trunk of a sturdy and large pine tree located in the middle of a charming neighborhood. The woodpecker felt really lucky to find this location, it was his favorite neighborhood and the tree was centrally located to some of his favorite restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. 

The only thing the woodpecker had to deal with was a series of roommates that he couldn't really control. They arrived and they left whenever they felt like it. 

His first roommate wasn't too bad. This roommate was quite positive and was really into growth and renewal. They would spring to life every morning and work on self-actualization all day. They even hung up a poster that said: "Bloom Like An Onion." The woodpecker found the poster a little strange, but ultimately couldn't argue with the phrase as a motivating slogan. 

After a while, the first roommate saw themselves out and took their poster with them. "That's too bad," The woodpecker thought, "Maybe they got tired of blooming here and went to go bloom somewhere else." 

One day the woodpecker was returning home from work when he saw someone sitting out on the porch in a rocking chair taking in the warm, velvety, night air. 

"Hi, I'm your new roommate!" They called to the woodpecker, "Want to join me for a drink?"

The Woodpecker's words got stuck in his throat. The new roommate was the hottest roommate the woodpecker had ever seen. He must have not said anything for a long time because before long the new roommate added, 

"Well, are you just going to stand there or are you going to join me for a drink?" 

The woodpecker quickly apologized and agreed to have a drink, he just had to go and put his stuff away. When he walked into his house he saw the new roommate had strewn all their stuff all over the place. There wasn't a nook or a cranny that hadn't had a light shined on it by the new roommate in some way. But the woodpecker didn't care, he was just hoping the second roommate hadn't accidentally come to the wrong house. 

Carefree, wild, and uninhibited, the Woodpecker and the second roommate spent the whole season together. They made the most of long days, sitting on rocking chairs, drinking sweet tea all day, and staying out all night laughing and dancing with friends. Sometimes they would stay up just talking and looking at the stars together. It made the woodpecker feel so alive.

One day the woodpecker thought he would tell his second roommate how much he liked them, he worked up all the courage he had, went out and bought some nice flowers, and came back to his home. The rocking chair was empty. 

As the woodpecker sat outside of his home, sad and melancholy, he noticed the days were getting shorter. The air had been steadily feeling crisper and cooler which only started deepening the melancholy and feeling of loss. 

"Hey fella, why the long face?" The woodpecker looked up as a new roommate approached the hollow. 

"Oh, just getting over a heartbreak." The Woodpecker replied, "Can I help you get settled in?" 

"Please," The new roommate replied. "And don't worry, I have just the thing for a heartbreak." 

The third roommate first struck the woodpecker as rough and rugged but with an underlying sweetness and coziness about them. The Woodpecker helped the third roommate unpack and get settled. The roommate had lots of classy sweaters and boots but most importantly, they had a bottle with a thick syrupy liquid inside that said "Heartbreak Cure." 

"Ah, you found it," The third roommate noticed. "Let me make you a latte..."

The third roommate worked as a barista for a living and quickly assembled an ornate espresso machine in the kitchen. The woodpecker was concerned that the espresso machine would take up valuable counter space but, with his broken heart, he didn't have the energy to stop it from happening. 

"Hold on, don't take a sip yet," The roommate said as he handed the woodpecker his latte. 

The woodpecker didn't understand how this would help his broken heart but he was willing to listen to anyone and try anything at this point. 

The third roommate returned carrying a chunky sweater, with a shawl collar that was softer and warmer than anything the woodpecker had ever felt. Hopefully, this magic sweater and this magic latte would really help heal the woodpecker's broken heart. He put on the sweater and took a sip of the latte. 

"Wow, this tastes so spicy and so pumpkin-y!" The woodpecker said to the new roommate. 

"You feeling any better?" The roommate wanted to know. 

"A little bit" The woodpecker replied. 

"That's what it takes, a little bit at a time." The third roommate assured, "A few more of those and we'll have you over your heartbreak, don't you worry." 

The Woodpecker and the third roommate got along really well. They had a few disagreements here and there but overall they shared a lot of lattes, a lot of sweaters, and a lot of stories. 

One morning the woodpecker woke up and realized his heart was no longer broken. He went to thank the third roommate for all his help. To his surprise, the third roommate had decided it was time for him to go and was packing his stuff.

"But why?" The Woodpecker asked. "Aren't we getting along well?" 

"Sure man," the Third roommate responded, "But I got another gig down the way and your heart is healed. Can't stay in any one place forever. If you still have room here, I'll see you next year." 

The Woodpecker was at least glad the third roommate said goodbye. He hadn't gotten a goodbye from the first two roommates at all. They just picked up and left one day, leaving the woodpecker to figure out what it was he may have said or done to make them go. 

The woodpecker again waited for another roommate. This time he was hoping for someone simple, easy to get along with and who respected the shared space in the kitchen. 

When his next roommate showed up the woodpecker was worried. The new roommate was severe, cold, and harsh. He would go on long tirades about how everyone was out for themselves and no one was good. The woodpecker braced himself, he knew he was about to endure a long hard season. 

The woodpecker wasn't sure how to be friends with his new roommate. He tried lots of different things. He tried inviting the roommate to have coffee, to go out to bars, to work on self-actualization, but nothing he did seemed to interest this roommate. 

One day, the woodpecker made a large pot of tomato soup and some grilled cheese sandwiches. He looked over at his roommate and thought maybe as a show of goodwill he could share. 

"Hey buddy, are you hungry? Feel free to have some soup and grilled cheese, there is plenty." 

The fourth roommate was skeptical but hungry. He cautiously approached the woodpecker and took some soup and a sandwich. The two sat down together and ate. 

As the roommate ate his meal you could see their cold hard shell melting away. The woodpecker and the fourth roommate started talking. They shared stories of friends and family, stories of wonderful meals shared with wonderful people, stories of people being good to one another. 

After dinner, the fourth roommate thanked the woodpecker. They offered to start a fire and make some hot chocolate, an offer the woodpecker graciously accepted. 

What the woodpecker learned about this fourth roommate was that they actually had a lot of warmth. It was a warmth that you had to earn. But that warmth was greater than all the warmth in all the other roommates put together. It was a warmth that was generated within and radiated outwards.

And then, just when things seemed bleakest, this roommate left without saying goodbye. The woodpecker was devastated. Just as he was getting used to the difficult but fulfilling life with his fourth roommate they had left. Just like the others. What was he going to do now? He didn't have the energy to meet a new roommate and go through all of this again. 

"Hey Buddy, good to see you again! How was your year?" The woodpecker looked up, it was his first roommate, back again, standing in his doorway, carrying his Blooming Onion poster, ready to hang it up in the kitchen.