M. used the crockpot diligently so that his teenaged brother would have food even if he himself was at work. On the night before he left to take his opticianry exam (already credentialed in Egypt) our customer, a Rector, prayed with us. Two Episcopalians and one Moslem joined together, hands and hearts, in a conversation with Our Father for a successful weekend.
As time went by, M. guided me through the spirit of Ramadan, but not including the "full" fasting which he said my body had not been prepared for from childhood. I focused on rising early for a nourishing breakfast (suhoor) and dining late, sipping broth during the day. The early morning gave me time for a small Christian devotion before work; the late night suppers, a realization that dates, and chicken, and small plates of salad are frugal yet ample sustenance.
My Ramadan experience changed my perspective of Lent. I stopped "giving up" and began "adding to." Instead of giving up wine, I simmered simple dishes in it with lots of nourishing vegetables. One year, I bought fewer groceries and donated savings to a worthy cause. Many times, I have used my sugar for cookies instead of my coffee, delivering them to that single mom down the street who has all those little children. I cleared my mind during meals rather than watch television. Mindfulness.
Yes. I know. I added Taoist Meditation and the spirit of Ramadan to my own Lenten experiences. Such a culturally diametric mash-up, you say! Yet, I continue every Lent to find more personal ways to actively help others and myself - not through self-denial and penance alone, but by asking myself, "What would Jesus have me do/refrain from doing?"
When I contemplate the question, I always find the biblical answer PRINTED IN THE RED INK.
