It has been an incredible adventure having Avianne Asyiah Khalil as my co-author to write together the book, "Tears in a Bottle; Seeing through their eyes." Both of us are very excited to be writing the first ever Islamic/Christian fiction historical novel. In the process we have become good friends and as a result our novel is an exciting, dramatic journey that is changing and shaping us as well. One of the most important themes of our novel is the unconditional love friendship between a Muslim and a Christian lady. Esther is a Muslim woman struggling with an abusive husband and Ariel is trying to put back together the pieces of her life after her husband dies in Afghanistan.
Their individual unique circumstances results in a very close bond between them. Esther's visit to central park becomes a life transforming event when she meets Ariel painting at the Bethesda Fountains. What made this such a great friendship? Both of them had a void in their life at that time. Both of them listened to each other from the heart. Most importantly, both of them respected each other. There was no pressure to convert. They accepted each other from the heart. Ariel became the shoulder for Esther to lean on through her abuse. They agreed to disagree respectfully and instead focused their energies on exploring life together.
The point Im trying to make is that friendship is a gift from God. When you pour your life, love and respect into that friendship, it is a treasure that can last forever. C. S. Lewis was not only a great author but also a great friend. He was kind, unselfish and a lot of fun to hang out with. We can learn a lot about life from reading his books. I know I have. I hope you will too.
