"In Search of Common Ground V" by Debra Olin

This piece illustrates my interest in connecting disparate cultures.
 

I had been reading a story, “My Mother’s Dream” written by Sarah Hamer-Jacklyn. The woman in the story thought she was going to die in childbirth. One of the things she did in hopes of changing her fate was to visit the graves of her grandmother and two deceased children to ask for their help. It was common to beseech the dead to intercede on behalf of the living. Soon after reading this story, I was visiting the Egyptian wing of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. On the wall was a letter written between 2400-2250 BC. The explanation read, “The ancient Egyptians believed the tomb was the home of the spirit on earth. As such, the living could communicate with the departed by praying at the tomb chapel or even leaving letters inside it. The dead were also thought to have powers beyond those of the living and could intercede on their behalf.” At a time when cultures are celebrating their differences, I find comfort in the connections that unify the human spirit.