Ummi sang the song of Sarah for the son she never planned to bear, but soon recalled Hagar's prayers- when the desert showed no life was there... Manhood. Wisdom: is the long migration of a mother's words, overcoming the hot-tempered nature of a stubborn son, and finally arriving at fertile soul. I: was the Sahara at fifteen years old. Ignoring the writing in the sand, as if I didn't understand, when Arabic is the language of my heart-land. But growing up meant crossing the desert- and I was 'far' from a man.