The great prayer wound its way into my sleepy consciousness like a serpent, coil after shining coil of words-the voice of the muezzin sinking from register to register of gravity-until the whole morning seemed dense with its marvelous healing powers, the intimations of a grace undeserved and unexpected, impregnating that shabby room where Melissa lay, breathing lightly as a gull, rocked upon the oceanic splendours of a language she would never know.
"The great prayer entered my consciousness gradually, like a serpent weaving through my mind with its shimmering words. The sound of the muezzin’s call unfolded in layers, descending in tone and weight, filling the morning with a sense of powerful healing and divine grace. This moment felt charged with a surprising and unearned blessing, filling the shabby room where Melissa rested peacefully, her breathing delicate and serene, as if she were a gull gently floating above the vast, beautiful ocean."
"All of this was experienced through the enchanting power of a language that Melissa would never understand, yet it seemed to transcend words, offering comfort and profound spiritual nourishment. Durrell captures how a single moment of prayer can resonate deeply, creating a sense of sacredness and tranquility in an ordinary space, connecting the physical and the divine in a subtle, almost mystical way."
