My glass is all the way full
Today begins Ramadan. Before I launch into a brief explanation that involves phrases like "lunar year" and "not eating," I have to say I am so awed when I think about the fact that there are now houses and cities and countries full of people who are all committed to giving up eating, drinking, smoking, sexual activity, and bad thoughts every day for a month. I can't really comprehend that or stop thinking about the magnitude of Ramadan. Being here causes it to both gain and lose some of that mysteriousness that accompanied my vague idea of "The Five Pillars of Islam" and what Ramadan was, but my optimism has not subsided in my belief of this month and the possibilities it offers for renewal, self-reflection, and servanthood.
I've been lost in thought now for so long that I just realized class is two minutes away from beginning! Oh how quickly I fall into the practical realities of not eating or drinking.... sigh. Explanations will follow, but if you know any Muslims, greet them with "Ramadan Kareem!"
posted by Helen @ 12:58 AM
2 Comments:
Today I discovered that this is the first time in 63 years that Ramadan and the beginning of the Jewish calendar fall on the same day. (This was a big accomplishment because it meant I understood the French news.) I also discovered that my host family doesn't think Turkey should be admitted into the EU because they're a muslim country and some Muslims are terrorists. We won't be talking politics any more. Now I understand why my host brother called Jacques Chirac, whom I like, a socialist.
:)
Hooray (?) for dispelling sterotypes of French being liberal.
-Annie
I noticed the Rosh Hashanah/Ramadan similarity and had brief hopes for joyous hand-holding and world peace. I don't think your family is alone in that belief, unfortunately. I think it's really interesting that everyone in the Middle East says Turkey isn't part of it, and everyone in Europe says the same thing, so where does Turkey go? : )
A friend in my Arabic class who is actually a teacher at AUC spent a weekend with some really, really rich Egyptians with 16 room beach houses and opulence to spare who were big fans of Bush. Hooray (?) for dispelling stereotypes of the Egyptians being anti-Bush. : ) It makes me curious because all of their kids go to AUC, so are AUCians more conservative or liberal? Hrm.
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