The thirty days of fasting is almost over, supposedly 30 days of quiet reflection and repression of human desires. I am not muslim so I can only be outside looking in, yet without a choice I also find myself wandering at the heart of this tradition.
They say that people are kinder, more peaceful, more forgiving more generous around here in the Arab world at this time the year but sadly the bloodshed continue, the prejudice continue, the ignorance continue and selfish desires continue.
For what good is prayer if one doesn’t know compassion or humanity. What good is prayer to people to who have a vague idea about love or whose idea of Love is between the legs, empty romantic messages sneaked in on midnight, Teddy Bears on a 24-7 grocery store.
The tale of the tower of Babel is true, people have grown up with so much prejudice and hate for one another that they have been punished to speak in alien tounges, vaguely understanding each other, so they end up criticising what they don’t understand.
The truth is, its not just the Arab world. Look at Norway. Turned out your Average Blonde Guy had it in him to be the next Hitler, or you don’t have to go very far, I’m sure there are enough average people around you who think they are better simply because they were born of a certain race.
In this quiet month, I’ve been asking myself, why can’t people get along nowadays? Why can’t we be kinder to each other? Why can’t we mean what we say and say what mean? Why is it so hard to appreciate each other? Why is it so hard to CARE?
Kindness costs nothing yet we are willing to pay the price for sloth, selfishness, vanity and greed.
Seriously, what is the use of fasting, if we cannot give even just a little to those who are dying of Hunger, not just physical but emotional and spiritual.
Somebody would come in and say the world is not my problem. But let me ask you, what do you think about when you look at the Moon? Or the Sunset ? or the Sea? Or when you close your eyes to sleep?
Aren’t we all just looking at the same thing from another angle? Aren’t we all just breathing the same air?
I’m not trying to point fingers, obviously I have my own failings and weaknesses, but merely stating observations. The world is increasingly breeding a population full of self-obsessed , self-patronizing, socially inept individuals recording, tweeting away their lives every 5 seconds.
In fact I am beginning to think my niceness has come to point where it is becoming a liability and that I am now thinking about being selfish and rude like everyone else - Become UNAVAILABLE. But then again what good would it do to become another selfish person?
I am not perfect, I am merely alarmed at what we all are turning out to be. Everyone is suffering. We will all burn in hell.
Ramadan. Really what for?
