Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Ramadan... going, going, gone!
It's already the last ten days of Ramadan. It seems like every year I have less and less time during Ramadan, or maybe it's just the kids have more and more things to do. Band has cut into family iftars as the time to break fast falls in the middle of band rehearsal three nights a week, and in the middle of competition on Saturdays. Soccer games, school conferences, karate class... everything seems to happen at dinner time. Of course, I'd rather have them home and us be busy, than not to have them around. I'm already imagining how I'm going to miss Tasneem (my oldest) when she heads off to college.
Even so, I am feeling this year the same ambivalence that I always feel at the end of Ramadan. On the one hand, I'm ready for fasting to be over. I'm tired of being hungry during the day. My tongue has developed a permanent fuzzy feeling. I'm missing coffee terribly. (Thank goodness I haven't had any caffeine withdrawal headaches -- one good thing about Ramadan, you learn if you have any addictions!) On the other, I don't want it to end yet. I haven't managed to accomplish half the things I had hoped I would this month. I will miss the extra camaraderie Muslims feel during this month -- the good times shared with friends over dinner.
I suppose it's a bit like watching your kid grow -- you're excited to see them moving on to new things, but at the same time you want to freeze them just the way they are. ¶ 9:16 PM
Even so, I am feeling this year the same ambivalence that I always feel at the end of Ramadan. On the one hand, I'm ready for fasting to be over. I'm tired of being hungry during the day. My tongue has developed a permanent fuzzy feeling. I'm missing coffee terribly. (Thank goodness I haven't had any caffeine withdrawal headaches -- one good thing about Ramadan, you learn if you have any addictions!) On the other, I don't want it to end yet. I haven't managed to accomplish half the things I had hoped I would this month. I will miss the extra camaraderie Muslims feel during this month -- the good times shared with friends over dinner.
I suppose it's a bit like watching your kid grow -- you're excited to see them moving on to new things, but at the same time you want to freeze them just the way they are. ¶ 9:16 PM
