There’s some healing going on in our house. My writing is changing as I continue on in my practice. I no longer feel like I need to retell the trauma of Temma’s birth, near-death, coming back to life with profound brain damage and the shame and guilt that I wrestled with for so long. That’s not the focus of the story I need to tell. What I want to tell is the healing that Temma comes with for me and for others. I’ve rounded a corner to work on this piece of the storytelling.
The very next day that I started writing from this perspective I awoke with the most amazing dream. In the dream I was baptizing persons of a different religious tradition from my own. The woman assisting me in the baptisms was Dr. Amy Jill Levine. In the baptisms I was intimately sharing over and over again how much God loves them, how special each one of them is to God. Dr. Levine was affirming these baptisms. All of it was assertive, bold, and courageous. I had even changed some of the faith symbols in the church to reflect the interfaith, intersectional healing that was happening. When an older gentleman stood up and began speaking of baptism as something other than sacred, I said loudly to get his attention, “Sir, sir, I cannot work with you.” My mom said, “Oh, Sherrie, you are a healer. Even I have changed.”
I share this dream not to ask for your help in interpretation, but especially to tell you the elation I felt upon waking with it. Baptisms were always the most joyful part of my role as Pastor. I know that I was beaming whenever I was able to lead and perform a baptismal service even if it was a baby and they were none too happy about the water being sprinkled on them or the feel of the silky, lacy gown they were wearing, were hungry or just plain tired. I got to tell them how much God loves them, how special they are in God’s eyes and how they are part of the community of God. The service was joyful and filled with Spirit. And here in the dream I’m crossing over religious walls and am aided by the enthusiastic and courageous Dr. Levine who teaches and writes and speaks about how anti-Semitism has crept into our Bible, our faith, our thoughts and our ways. Healing was happening in the house!
I’m ready to learn more and to move on in my writing practice with Temma at my side. Recently a friend from our past got in touch with us again after many years and let us know how Temma, Tim, and I are being used in her life for soul-healing. Her words are so encouraging. “Temma, you are such a great healer. Even I have been changed.”
Writing From the Margins 
Sherrie, the joyous news of more healing, your corner turning and your relating the dream so full of shalom lifts my heart in thanksgiving! And I am reading this on a day when we have three baptisms during our church service. One was a five month old little girl, one a 2 year old little boy, and one a 4-5 year old boy. The baby, Salina, cried as the water wet her head but quoted right down as she was given back to her mom. the five year old, Clark, stalwartly endured being the focus of attention and getting wet, then quickly leaned into his parents. The toddler, Otto, was in his mothers arms and as the pastor spoke to him of how God loved him, he quickly leaned down, splashed in the baptismal font, then lifted his hand to his mouth and sucked the water off his fingers! The children were then presented to the congregation- as we sang they were walked through the aisles by friends of their families. The five year old, Clark, decided for the last two isles that he wanted to just walk by himself. I was nervous for him, but he slowly, quietly walked up one aisle, across the front and down the other, just thoughtfully looking and looking at all the people in the pews around him. The whole morning felt to me like your dream sounds. Blessing upon blessing.
Oh, Susan, thank you, thank you. I love the descriptions of these kids and their reactions. I feel like I was there. Souch joy and blessing!