As a child of wartime, she remembered her grandmother’s hunger, the bombing and blood, and the flat expanse of the plains. Looking out, she imagined Earth as a wide plate and Heaven as the dome that covered it, and believed that if she walked to the edge, she would find the place where they met.
Later, she saw her first mountain. This was a shock.
Later still, she would think how well this prepared her for what followed, because what good is an education that does not continue to jar you from whatever it is you presume to know before learning more?
***
Inspired by a section of this conversation between Judith Plaskow and Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, in Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion Vol. 29, No. 1 (Spring 2013).
Regarding “Later, she saw her first mountain. This was a shock.” Yes there are a lot of things we know as a human species but often not as individuals, in science, history, etc. Things that are truly amazing and could change your world view if you only know about them. I’ve come across many such big revelations, and they changed how I view my world, and I am sure there is much more., Beautiful writing by the way.
Thank you, Thomas.