Ramadan Day Two

I AM LITERALLY WILLING THE SUN TO FALL CLOSER TO THE EARTH AS I TYPE THIS.

I started chopping up onion and chicken thighs a half hour ago and sauteeing them in olive oil, and the heightened sensual arousal while handling the food was nothing short of longing eagerly for consummation of the most meaningful kind.

I decided to begin Ramadan today, though because the moon was not capable of being seen by the naked eye in North America on Tuesday night, there are some who are perhaps choosing to align with Saudi Arabia’s decision and begin tomorrow. The Islamic Society of North America uses astronomical calculations to determine the lunar calendar for Muslims this side of the Atlantic. However, according to Morrocco World News, immigrants to this country are often confused about when to begin Ramadan when determining the beginning of the 9th lunar month is at all vague by using the naked eye alone.

Wow. This holiday already has political overtones to it!

Today I was surprised to find that my hunger was held in a completely different context throughout the day. Rumbly, but not panicky like I normally feel when I’m long past lunch. That is, until I put my hand on the door handle to return home at an odd hour of the day. Suddenly, it was like my stomach and hand were directly linked (which of course, psychologically they are), and my brain suddenly said, “RAVENOUS. YOU ARE A RAVENOUS PERSON WHO NEEDS FOOD DESPERATELY. GET INTO THE FRIG NOW!”

Gratefully, I recognized the mind’s little habit playing with me, and I quickly got myself busy with the guest I had with me and the mind’s game quickly went to sleep again. The one place I took liberties today was with my half cup of coffee when I was concerned for my potential to doze off when driving a friend on the freeway to Ann Arbor. Wow, what a gift that caffeine was! But even then, I sipped it black and savored the bitterness in a way I normally would have been too distracted to notice.

My concern for tomorrow is that I have to be at a formal dinner with a group of people not observing Ramadan. What does one do with one’s hands when not even drinking water? I don’t want them to feel guilty or uncomfortable eating in front of me…perhaps I can teach them some of what I’m learning about the Islamic faith already—stuff I’m sure I’ll be blogging about in the weeks to come.

Well, friends, the sun has FINALLY set without any regard to my personal desire for it to drop faster than usual, and I need to figure out what I will use as my breaking-fast prayer—before I dive into that luscious chicken and onions.