It is known that during the Islamic month of Ramadan, participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from dawn to sunset. To them, fasting is meant to teach a person patience, sacrifice, and humility. It is also during this time that they fast for the sake of God and they offer prayer more than usual. They ask for forgiveness for their past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from every day evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.
Today, they celebrated
Eid el-Fitr or the Festival of Breaking the Fast. And along with it, my Ramadan memories came flashing back before my eyes.
It's not easy to fast. It really takes patience to be able to last a whole day with no food and water. You have to learn how to sacrifice your needs like eating or drinking whenever you feel like doing so because it's not allowed. It sure did teach me those valuable lessons that I should say, had stayed with me up to these days. Not only that, I already experienced myself how it is like to feel
really hungry and not be able to eat anything to even lessen it. I learned how to think of others. I feel sad for those who only get to eat once a day, especially those who, sometimes go on for days without eating anything. Now, if I have something extra, it goes to those who need it more than I do.
While I was fasting, I avoided places where I can smell nice food and see people eating. My friends in school would always tease me when they're eating something in front of me because they knew I wouldn't ask them to give me some. Believe me, it was never easy to resist but I was able to do so. Whenever I started feeling hungry or thirsty, I always wanted to just sleep and wake up when it's already time for
iftur. But most of the time, I was wide awake so I had no choice but to endure hunger and thirst at the same time! I just let myself think that right after
maghrib, I can eat as much as I want to until
suhoor before the
fajr. I remember sitting with my Saudi friends in circle during every meal, with one big plate in the middle (
biryani rice and the meat all in one) and just using our right hands while eating. It's a tradition that Saudi people practice. After every meal, we would sit and have tea while chitchatting or simply watching TV. Dessert always followed after that :) I don't know how's that, but we preferred eating dessert after drinkig tea. Then, if we still had enough time, we would go out for a walk and if ever ended up feeling hungry, hot and spicy chicken shawarma was always there to quiet our noisy tummies. Hehehe [Oh, that just made me start missing my favorite Arabic food ;( ]
There's no doubt I will observe Ramadan again :) I just had to stop this year because I have lost so much weight and I need to gain some of it back. Once I'm fit enough, I'll definitely fast again - maybe next Ramadan :)
Inshallah!!Today, Talal and I greeted each other Happy Eid through SMS. He even sent me pictures of his two younger sisters, Asraa, 6 and Gaya, 2 - both in Saudia right now. Talal is living in Dagupan and since he left Manila in 2006 to study there, we haven't met till now. I miss that "
gentle giant" (I call him by that name sometimes because he's so tall) and how I want to see him again. I miss the happy moments we all shared together, our crazy talks, singing Arabic songs together, problem-sharing, and I miss
Kuya Bader's jokes. They're the nicest Arab people I know and I'm glad we became friends and are still friends up to now. My husband and I were supposed to meet Talal in Baguio when we went there in May, but at the last minute, the plan changed because one of Talal's friends asked him to go with him to Ilocos at the time. I'm convincing him to come here to Manila, but he always gives me the same answer - he hates Manila because of too much pollution and noise. Well, I still am not giving up the chance of seeing him one of these days.
I also greeted my other good friend, Ameer who, told me in his text message that he never really felt it was Eid today. I somehow understood how he must have been feeling. He's away from his family and though he has his older brother here and a niece, still he said he didn't enjoy celebrating Eid all by himself. Well, I hope Ahmed or Wissam will do something to make him smile as he said he's going to spend time with them tomorrow. [hehehe] He deserves a break.
This is just one of the many gifts my husband, John gave me on my birthday. He sent me a parcel with some other stuff he bought from the places he's been to on this deployment. What makes this card very special is, it's my very first birthday card as a "Wife" :) When I first saw the card and read what's written on the cover, my eyes welled-up with tears of joy. I couldn't even discern the exact feeling I felt that day because I was just too overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
This is also the first card I got since he's been on deployment; my first ever "sent-from-a-deployment-card". It's not really easy to take something like this in, but I am dealing with it. I was so happy receiving a card from my husband, but knowing he's out there, at the same time, my heart was doleful. My mind was entirely with him the whole time. I was thinking and asking myself, "What's really the use of me celebrating my birthday when my own husband couldn't even be with me right now?!" But, I know he'd rather have me enjoy my time than to just sit there and worry too much. I know he's all right because God's watching over him. It's just that, I can never not be worried a hundred percent, not until I know he's just right next to me; safe and sound.
SMiLiES | EMOTiCONS COURTESY OF: