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I identified that God deals with me through people — for pruning, lessons, showing love, etc. That is his greatest medium of communicating with me so I do not take people I meet for granted.

This year, God was so intentional and strategic about the people he placed in my life. Some are best loved from a distance and some are to be kept as treasures but they all come with enormous lessons.
I met a lot of amazing people this year but this one came with a striking effect.

I spent chrismas in Accra last year so Josey invited me to Grotto writers and readers club, an avenue that allows writers to share their work and get their work appraised and readers [of their work] to get to listen to them. It sounded like a cool event since I identified with both; a writer and a reader.
At the event, I saw a friend of Josey I had been teasing her with. She was all over social media with their pictures and they looked cool together. If he wasn’t married, he would have been the perfect match for my sis.

He is Nesta Jojoe Erskine.

When it was my turn to introduce myself, he said (as the moderator), ” Nana Konadu , it’s your turn”. (He is such a risk taker. He had no idea it was me, he just guessed. You should have seen how confident he was too). When he screamed “by the way, she is my friend” I gave a puzzled look with a smile plastered somewhere. Who on earth claimed friendship like that? We weren’t even Facebook friends yet.
He sent me a friend request and we kickstart our friendship.

I was happy to have a friend like him. A few months into our friendship, however, I got very disappointed. He was doing everything I hated. From the big things that hurt me deeply to the little but still hurtful things like not replying my messages after he read or not answering my phone calls. I was gonna give up on him and label him “love from a distance” when it struck me that maybe, I was placing too much expectation on him which blinded me to what he was really offering.

I let go of my expectations of him and approached him as a new person (void of perception based on what I have heard or had seen).
My previous post, lessons learnt on love (read at https://afiyasays.wordpress.com/2018/12/22/blogmas-challenge-day-2-lessons-learnt-on-love/), was from my encounter with people like him. I had to learn to love him differently and accept the kind he brought.

Letting go of my expectations, he is one of the best things that has happened to me this year. He comes with a bundle of lessons and of joy. He helped me to edit some of my pieces, he went out of his way to offer his services that would have cost a lot to me and some of my friends, for free. He did the little things one would do as a friend.

When I grow up, I want to be a friend like Nesta. Why wait till I grow? I want to be a friend like Nesta now. I want to be as selfless as he is in his dealings with people.
His level of wisdom is highly commendable and you never leave him without having a thought provoking comment to part with.
He has a very different approach to life which is fascinating and it challenges me to be as open minded as I can be.

You have to safeguard you lungs around Nesta, it might burst from laughter.

I can’t say everything I want to say about him but I will summarise everything and say he is all shades of amazing. He inspires me to be a better friend and a better person. He says he wants to be unforgettable and truly he will be.- UNFORGETTABLE. By the way that is the title of his book of wisdom ,lol. Follow the link and get yourself a copy https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10216189628557313&id=1349755263. Thank me later .

Dear Nesta,
Thank you for showing me a different perspective to life. Thank you for being the friend you are. I am a better friend and a better person because of you.

Thank you for your words of encourangment, they kept me going. For all the books you gave me this year and all the others you owe me, thank you. Thank you for the long ride from Kumasi to Accra, I appreciate the sacrifice you had to make.
Like your profile on Facebook says, I will also strive to be a friend that never leaves.

For all the times you have selflessly helped me and my friends, I am grateful. Thank you for being my friend and I am grateful to God he brought you my way.

I love you and God bless you.

May we enjoy many years of friendship.

Afiya.

Great people make the world go round. Who did you meet this year
that you are grateful for? Let them know just how much you appreciate them.

Afiya.