****************************************
****************************************
Last night we ate a full Turkish meal, followed by Ashure with our Turkish Muslim friends. We've done this for a few years now, and I feel like I'm starting to get to know Ahmet and Esma, and those that are part of their circle. I sat with Esma last night, and we both laughed as the people at our table attempted to communicate - no easy task, as some of her crowd didn't speak English, and some of my crowd were Deaf.
These evenings are always impacting for me. More than a polite, politically-correct gathering - they are a very deliberate, very outward expression of love and friendship from each group to the other. A wholehearted allowance for one another's way of living. A hint at how the world could be.
At the end of the evening, Esma folded her woven scarf, a beautiful creation in shimmering gold threads, and handed it to me. "My gift to you," she smiled, knowing I had been admiring it.
A gift indeed, and one that is much more than a simple scarf.
A gift of friendship.
