Experiment

Recently one of my students lent me some books about Islam. I requested them from her because, unlike my school in Florida, my current job location has a diverse ethnic and religious population. I felt it would help me to better understand some of my students, their customs, lifestyle rules they must observe, etc. Granted, I had taken a world religions course in college, but the unit on Islam took only two days and it did not focus at all on Islam in the United States.

So, I borrowed the books and read them. My favorite piece that she gave me was about the ritual of fasting; I had fasted once with one of my students during Ramadan two years ago in order to better understand how it would affect him, but I didn't finish the month-- not out of lack of willpower, but because I lacked a spiritual reason to do so. I didn't understand its importance, nor that the reason need not be religious. Now, after having read the book from my current student, I realize that Faisal fasted not only because he was following the tenets of his religion, but also to understand the plight of the impoverished, to retain a sense of gratitude for the sustenance with which he'd been blessed, and to exercise self-control-- to overcome the demands of his body with the strength of his mind.

I know all of this may seem strange, and by no means do I intend to adopt any religion, currently. Sadly, none of them truly quench my insatiable need for the concrete. That, and I've got major beef with the idea of looking upon the beliefs of others and deeming them incorrect because they are not my own. Still, I can make sense of this practice, which surprises me, as I have difficulty making sense of just about any religion.

I fasted today, to test my willpower. I've made it through the day, and I may plan to fast tomorrow. I want to test my own strength. I want to surprise myself. I want to be grateful.