Mary'am was one of the carefree maidens that went to the well at dawn to bring water for her family. I took note of her because of how sweet and tender she was towards anyone younger or more helpless than her. It took us all by surprise when she fled (?) to Ain Karin where a relative lived. Why, that was a five days journey and none of us could understand that such protective parents would suddenly let her go. Rumor had it that she had seen an angel but I didn't put too much stock in that. After all she was deeply spiritual and quite impressionable. My heart sank though, when she came home obviously pregnant and tried to act indifferent when the gossips wagged their cruel tongues. Those same tongues kept wagging and others joined them when the years flew by and the boy she had been carrying changed the way everyone thought about life whether they agreed with Him or not. My heart nearly broke when I saw how she wept when her Son was crucified. I may be just a simple village baker but I wanted to put in a good word for my friend's daughter when I heard folks would be reading her scrolls. Shalom