• HOME
  • MISSION
  • OUR STORY
  • CONTRIBUTORS
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Menu

  • HOME
  • MISSION
  • OUR STORY
  • CONTRIBUTORS

Instagram

  • The depths and variations of love are wide. In February, we’ll post love vignettes on different types of biblical love. Delighted to feature “Quanny” Ard who shares, “As long as individuals have existed, the concept of self-love has existed.” We can’t love others well if we’re struggling to accept and love who we are. Embrace the lovely being you are. #philautia #loveyourself #loveothers ❤️ @pexels photo
  • On Saturdays, our house was filled with music – R&B oldies and Jamaican music played loudly throughout the house. The sound of housework was a constant also – cooking, cleaning, mopping, dusting, and organizing. We talked as we worked, and sometimes we bickered. Once chores were completed, TV noise increased again as we would watch movies in my bedroom together because that’s where the DVD was.  #family #emptynesters Stop by Dahlia Collective today...
  • You failed. Again. You’re struggling with  behaviors which hinder your spiritual walk. Take heart, love...The beauty of #redemption is the grace which covers us when we miss the mark. That’s the beauty of a #cleanslate. @alicewilliam86 takes us through Psalm 51. Check us out today. ❤️🙏🏻
  • “It pains me to say this as someone who appreciates a plan and a purpose, but sometimes you have to take change as it comes. And sometimes it comes unannounced. Sometimes it’s a new beginning you initiated, wanted, or expected, and sometimes it’s not.
Whether it’s a job change, a change of location (or both, in my case), a relationship status update, a fresh taste of freedom after being incarcerated, or the adjustment that comes with becoming a parent, new beginnings can be tough territory.
Both my first day of college and, four years later, my first day at a new job in a new city where I was living alone for the first time were a combination of joy, excitement, uncertainty, and fear. 
The challenges of new beginnings are uniquely able to transform us, bring a complex type of joy to us, and even make us question every decision we’ve ever made. Live link via profile.
#newbeginnings #vulnerability @shansometimes writes on new territories. Photo Credit: Reshot
  • I don’t want to live my days so in search of the #exceptional that I miss the hope in the #ordinary. #wonder #fall @tlmashburn
  • It was Lucy, the popular character from the Chronicles of Narnia series who held on to Aslan’s words: “Courage, dear heart,” the lion whispered.  Courage reminds me of a similarly-spelled word: Coraje.

In Spanish, coraje means anger or frustration. Enough anger can propel the human heart to action, regardless of one’s circumstances. Inaction breaks the human spirit. I tell them to take risks in our classroom, and they do. #tolerance #urbaneducation #resilience
  • We waited for the grand spectacle of creation that happens every single day: a simple sunrise. The Wonder of #Sunrise by Alice William.
  • We think we can outrun our fears and responsibilities if we keep our lives moving at a rapid pace. Perhaps if we fill up our schedule with appointments, we won’t feel the emptiness that remains like a crater in our souls. If we have enough projects and parties, we think conviction of sin won’t be able to find and knock at the door of our hearts and we won’t notice our separation from God. @shansometimes is today’s contributor! Photo by Anna O on Reshot. #Rest #descansando #verano #enneagram
  • Get out there ladies. Enjoy each day because the sands of time await no one. “What will you do with your one precious life?” #joiedevivre

Dahlia Collective

You are here: Home / Friendship / The Beauty of an Unlikely Bond by Nylse Esahc
Friendship, Tolerance

The Beauty of an Unlikely Bond by Nylse Esahc

 

Hey, I know you!” I exclaimed the first time I saw Emma. We’d bumped into each other while attending the same event.

“Yeah. I think I’ve seen you around also,” she replied.

That chance meeting was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

For my 48th birthday, Emma gave me a potted mini-orchid. I immediately placed it on my kitchen window sill. Over time, my orchid’s petals slowly wilted.

Orchids, though hardy, require specific care: sunlight, attention, proper humidity and the right measure of water. On Sunday mornings, I whispered sweet nothings over my orchid. Most of the days, I let her be.

Eighteen months passed before my orchid re-blossomed. When it did, it was fuller and more gorgeous than before. I remember taking a pic of my orchid when it reached full bloom. I had to show Emma.

“This is just like our friendship which continues to blossom,” I texted. Emma, touched by seeing the beauty of the orchid, agreed.

Our friendship blossomed just as well as that mini-orchid had.

An Unlikely Bond

I met Emma shortly after moving to California. I never thought I could have a friendship as deep as the ones I had when I lived on the East Coast.

Moving tends to do that to you.

You realize how good your former friendships were. You wonder if you’ll ever find similar ones.

Emma’s sense of humor and willingness to reach out to others drew me in. As we got to know one another, we realized we had lots in common: both of us were Black women. Both of us were mothers. We’d both been married for years. We loved to run.

But a huge difference exists between us still: Emma is Muslim and I am Christian.

At first, this revelation surprised me because our camaraderie was so vibrant. I’d never witnessed friendships between Muslim and Christian women. It didn’t seem like a viable possibility in Christian circles.

While I wasn’t against having a Muslim friend, I just hadn’t actively sought one out.

On Common Ground

Befriending Emma was like walking on new ground. What intrigued me most was that we had similar moral values, even though our religious foundations were so different.

Emma and I have laughed deeply. We’ve cried. We’ve cared for each other’s children. We’ve fellowshipped over meals.

On our long runs, we’ve shared our frustrations about life and raising kids. We’ve discussed our unfulfilled dreams and career aspirations. I’ve prayed for her regarding different situations and Emma understands my faith.

With Emma, I don’t have to proselytize because my life is evidence of God in me.

Emma’s a dream-enabler. No one has encouraged me like she has. She’s even taught me how to empower others.

We’ve expressed different views on many issues without allowing our friendship to disintegrate. I’ve acquired a better understanding of Muslim woman today.

Christians can have meaningful relationships with those of other faiths. From Jesus, I’ve learned that the only true way to make a difference in someone’s life is through meaningful interaction.

It was Christ who connected with a person’s feelings. In this way, I strive to be Christlike.

The orchid which sits on my window-sill won’t grow without sunlight, water, or attention. True friendships are no different; they can’t thrive without care.

It’s the same with Emma, the full-bloom of our friendship requires a care and love.

#Friendships can't blossom without true #Intentionality. Click To Tweet

__________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Nylse Esahc is a Christian wife and a mother of four who currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. Originally from the Bahamas, she lived in New York prior to relocating to the West Coast. She is a Christian Blogger who writes to encourage others from a Godly perspective at lifenotesencouragement.com. She recently published her first book: My Best Marriage Advice: How To Thrive In Your Marriage. Nylse never turns down the opportunity for conversation over a hot cup of tea.

June 5, 2018

« Welcome to Dahlia Collective
In Quietness and Trust by Julia Cho »

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

  • Courage of Newly-Sharpened Pencils by Jessica Galán
  • Welcome to Dahlia Collective

Comments

  1. Sue Donaldson says

    June 5, 2018 at 11:10 AM

    beautiful! So much wisdom here.

    Reply
  2. Alice William says

    June 6, 2018 at 9:09 PM

    Friendships can’t blossom without true Intentionality”, a lesson I’m trying hard to work on. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Dahlia flowers come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. We liken dahlias to the sacred beauty of cultural diversity.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Popular Posts

But the Lord Stood With Me by Shannon Whitehead

But the Lord Stood With Me by Shannon Whitehead

In Quietness and Trust by Julia Cho

In Quietness and Trust by Julia Cho

The Beauty of an Unlikely Bond by Nylse Esahc

The Beauty of an Unlikely Bond by Nylse Esahc

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

CATEGORIES

ARCHIVES

Load More...

CATEGORIES

  • Travel
  • Friendship
  • Self-Esteem

LATEST POSTS

Agápē Love by Nylse Esahc

Agápē Love by Nylse Esahc

Love of Self or Self-Love? by Quantrilla Ard

Love of Self or Self-Love? by Quantrilla Ard

How Advent Subdues Longing by Jessica Galan

How Advent Subdues Longing by Jessica Galan

Copyright @ Dahlia Collective 2018