Ramadan streamline

Yeah, and the next set of things regarding this whole fuss around Ramadan. The thing is that there is a lot to tell about this month. It is very complex, intense and definitely not easy to understand. That's why I'm gald I decided to experience it, way different approach, way different journey.

I promised to write about how people behave or change. Unfortunately I can not tell it is all bright, but summing up everything it is still mostly a positive change. The confusion around what is positive what is normal, what is not is probably coming from my understanding on what Ramadan means.

I was talking to people before and during this week so that I can understand a bit what is this month intending to tell us. Most of them told it is a month (besides the religious points) to feel close to poor people, who are starving mostly. For me it is then a challenge to maintain a kind of normal life while fasting. Though I don't always see this approach. The country slows down, people use Ramadan as an excuse of not doing their job (while I probably had one of my most productive week - I have the choice to totally focus on my work or focus on my stomach....work is easier :P ). And for a while I was thinking that the problem is with me, coz I thought that poor people starve, but still doing what needs to be done, so why should we act differently if we want to feel close to them. It turned out that it is not only me who thinks like this, a few people who I talked to thinks the same and I also found a very intersting article about it, here is the link to it:
http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=10515

The question is am I feeling close to the poor. Honestly I don't know, but this month teaches me to highly value the basics what I have...like the bottom of the Maslow pyramid, to value to have water to drink. And also there is this commonly used saying noone really takes into consideration: you are not rich because of money, but because of the people around you. And it is pretty weird, but this statement is very true. Why? the explanation is simple. When I was just writing down that I don't know if I feel close to the poor the thought came to my mind that I actually don't feel poor (well, I'm still not having much of money, despite the fact that since the last conference people started to call me Vice President of Money :P). And the next thought also came naturally (without any push), saying that I'm not poor (or rather not lost) coz I have a lot of people around who can help with a single SMS, or phone call...or just dropping me home after Eftar. And I think this is the very positive side of how people change during Ramadan.

Ramadan Kareem, meaning Generous Ramadan. In my first post about Ramadan I said that I don't really understand why Ramadan is Generous. But now I do. It is not the month, but the people because I just simply experienced that level of generousity I have never seen in my life, coz it is not just coming from one person, but when you feel it every corner, in every person. Just counting that I did not have Eftar so far alone, I always had more people around, being invited and I also feel the sense to invite people (and I actually did invite my team for Saturday) not for the sake of giving back, just the why not type of reasoning.
People open up and become closer to each other. You all share the pain and seeing that small sparkle in their eyes when they realize that I'm fasting with them changes a lot....you somehow become one of them, or they try to make you become one of them and integrate you in as many things as possible. It is a very powerful feeling and I don't really have the words to describe it, it is something which makes my experience uniqe, because this is something you truly can not get from books.

And Ramadan is also a pretty good month for reflection. It is only one week passed and I feel this mood all over the place. It is just easier to think and reflect, but I don't understand why. I don't really have to understand it, just use it wisely, it might be something not coming back, coz you are in this mood now together with many people, resulting in awesome discussions. Like today we had with a few friends (Wesam, Eyad, Sasha and for a part Abeer)...a very good and I believe deep dicussion about a lot of topics, which was just simply good to be part of and exchange views on them.

I truly wish everyone to experience Ramadan once, in an Arab country, to feel the whole spirit. My next post will be about Eftar and some specially Ramadan habits and I will keep writing about things, coz I believe I have a unique chance to spread the word even to that few people who are reading my posts, to at least attempt to pass something from a thing I did not understand and not many people understands who has not been part of it.

With full confidence:

Ramadan Kareem!