Receiving a death notice is a surreal experience, and I've had that bitter taste twice in my life. Never did I fathom that I'd be walking through the valley of the shadow of death once more. After all I'd endured since birth, I believed I'd already carried my fair share of suffering. So when the doctor delivered the shattering news of a life-threatening cancerous tumor, it rattled me to the core in a way I never thought I would encounter.

What I have come to understand, more so now than ever before, is that prayer has always found a way to bring my troubled spirit a form of peace that I can't understand and a sense of calm and resolution even now as Jews (of Israel) and Muslims (of Palestine) continue to fight for what they believe in the Holy Land of Jerusalem.

Prayer is human communication with the sacred--God, gods, the transcendent realm, or supernatural powers. But to label prayer solely as a form of communication is akin to describing a grand symphony as mere notes on a page. Prayer is a tapestry woven with threads of human history, spirituality, and the very essence of our existence. In reality, prayer is a mosaic of multidimensional practices as old as humanity.

God, Forgive me.

Cleanse me.

Make me whole again!

Amen.