A tale of 2 stories - 4 millennia apart
To tell Sarah’s story, I’ve had to tell my own. And that involves reliving some heart-wrenching moments.
Welcome back to The Life of H: Sarah, Reimagined where poetry is my doorway into an exploration of one of the most impactful and enigmatic stories, not just of biblical literature but of literature in general. Sarah’s story has influenced our understanding of gender, motherhood, law, spirituality — and more. It’s a book-in-process (emphasis on the word process).
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What I have in common with an ancient Mesopotamian Priestess
In some ways, Sarah and my story couldn’t be more different:
She was born into a Mesopotamian desert culture thousands of years ago.
I was grew up in 1970s suburbia, just a short car ride from the ocean.
Sarah became a mother at 90, and I became a mother at 25.
But it’s no accident that I chose to devote so much time and effort to writing about her. As it turns out, we have a lot in common, too.
Like Sarah, motherhood wasn’t in my original plan for how my life would unfold.
Like Sarah, my motherhood journey took unexpected twists and turns — and became the defining episode in my life.
Like Sarah, a dramatic moment of sacrifice tested my faith.
And just as many believe that Sarah was a Mesopotamian priestess, a dream of a priestess in white robes played a big part in my understanding of myself as a mother.
Not surprisingly then, in the process of telling Sarah’s story, I’ve felt the need to tell my own.
And although I’ve done so publicly before, each time it’s difficult. That’s why I’ve been hesitant about telling it here.
But recently, I was invited to speak on a podcast where each guest discusses a dream that changed their life. The host asked which dream I’d like to share for the episode. I’ve had countless dreams that have shaped my life, so to decide, I did what dreamers do: I asked my dreams.
And wouldn’t you know it, that night I dreamed that I was baking a birthday cake for my daughter.
That decided it: I agreed to tell the story of how I came to be a mother, and how my dreams, including one about a priestess-like woman robed in white, helped me navigate the rocky road that lay ahead.
Listen in as I share my backstory on The Dreams that Shape Us podcast.
Note: Our conversation gets started at about 6:30 minutes in. The episode is pretty long, so ahead and listen at 1.25x speed if you like.
Wait, did you say Sarah might not have been barren?
Sarah is commonly understood to have been barren, unable to bear a child. But the word that’s used to describe her reproductive status in the Bible, aqar, can also mean not yet pregnant, not recently pregnant, or childless.
And because many scholars believe that Sarah was a Mesopotamian priestess, a member of an honored class of women who could choose if and when to get pregnant, it’s quite possible that her story can be viewed in an entirely different light.
Discover new possibilities for a Sarah who might not have been barren, after all, in this post:
And listen to this poem about an imagined backstory for Sarah:
The Life of H: Sarah, Reimagined is free. But when you become a paid subscriber today you’ll get exclusive content, plus 20% off and a free copy of my latest book, Dreaming on the Page: Tap into Your Midnight Mind to Supercharge Your Writing.
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Learn more about Tzivia’s books and book a 1:1 dreamwork session (and more) at www.thirdhousemoon.com
Tzivia- What a riveting conversation! I look forward to working with you one of these days in a dream workshop. It’s on my “bucket list”🤞