Transcendence

Where do the great opportunities lie? Where the differences are most pronounced. Where taboos deter us. Where emotions reveal the potential for transformation. At the age of 38, I found my father’s family in Bamako, Mali. I grew up in Germany as the son of a pastor’s daughter. Religion and spirituality were present but never dogmatic. As part of the majority society, we were free to celebrate Christmas, meditate, or dance in the street. There was no contradiction in that. No one asked how often a day I prayed or whether I observed Christian fasting rules. That changed when I began to take an interest in Islam. On my father’s side, we have been Muslims for generations, hailing from the Kayes region of Mali. I began to read, learn, and practice. I am part of the Sissoko family and want to ...