I never ever ever dreamed in my most clouded dreams that the very sustenance of my flesh would be stripped away by the almighty pen of the government. So when I surrendered “everything” to move across the ocean I didn’t really think of food, my own daily food, being a part of that. Obviously, food is included in “all” things being surrendered, but most people don’t really think about what “all” means until some of the “all” they didn’t think of comes into play.
I knew about Ramadan. I knew it meant 30 days of fasting. I also knew I was not bound to that thanks to the awesome grace of God. I am not forced to go without food because I do not live under those presuppositions of this worldview. I fast when it is necessary in my own personal relationship with the Almighty Creator because He doesn’t force us to show our dedication to him. He waits for us to show it, because it is an expression of his pure love and patience in the lives of his children and he didn’t want a bunch of robots, or we would all be forced into perfect obedience which wouldn’t really be obedience at all, but that’s a side note from my current issue.
Thirty days of fasting that is enforced by the law! You really can be arrested for eating in public during sunlight hours during the month of fasting. Restaraunts won’t dare serve you any food. Fear is a pretty decent motivator in these here parts and 99% of the population are avid slaves to the four letter word aforementioned. Chewing gum is out of the question. People won’t even swallow their own spit for the 12 hours of light! Though I’ve wondered how many people actually accomplish this task. I mean, come on, how easy is it to hide a little swallow throughout the day and still feel like you are so righteous.
This activity, the fasting, directly effects my life. I occasionally like to take my children to the Golden Arches for the perfectly crunchy nuggets and fries. But they can’t wait until 8o’clock at night to eat dinner. I even tried the drive thru thinking that since we are not eating at the restaurant (which is in public) and taking it home they might actually be open, but did I get the gigantic flag down. They practically tossed my car out onto the street to leave us for the vultures. I realize I was there for lunch, a little early on that eating schedule….but what were they all doing 8 hours before anyone in the nation was allowed to eat a bite of food? Does it take a regular days work to clean up from the night before?
Date night is the worst during this month. I get so hungry by 6pm. But sundown doesn’t happen until 7! By the time the sitter arrives and we’re out, we’re still 45 minutes early and nothing is open yet….so we drive around town, go shopping or we drive around some more. You’d think it would be difficult to get into a restaurant at 7’oclock, and it is, but I’ve learned it takes a person who has been starving themselves all day to eat buffalo wings, a steak with baked potato and a gigantic chocolate and ice cream dessert in ½ hour, it almost makes you wonder about eating disorders! But by the time the table is cleaned off and they realize other people who haven’t been fasting all day but are currently starving are actually waiting to eat when the rest of the nation and Muslim world is finished, it’s been at least 45 minutes and you’ve been waiting so long you almost forget that you are hungry. Though you can nearly hear a sigh of relief 30 minutes after the chow down begins. Everyone is happy again and we have the promise of happiness soon, until the next day begins.
After living like this for 30 days, and you hear the mosque repeating their celebratory calls telling you that Ramadan is done (which lasts for 3 hours beginning at dawn), you’ve kind of fallen into a pattern. Your expectations for the day revolve around where and when you can eat, if you can bring food with you to the park while your kids play, or drink a sip of water when you’re thirsty. My family seriously experiences symptoms similar to those who have suffered through a trauma. When you get in an accident, it’s difficult to get behind the wheel again. When someone rips you off at the gas station, you don’t want to go back, and when someone has lied to you on several occasions, you start wondering if he’s ever told you the truth…and if he ever will. When Ramadan is over we wonder if we really are allowed to go into Starbuck’s in the morning for that latte. Will McDonald’s really be open? Will I get caught if I take a sip from my water bottle at that red light? It is a lot like a trauma, and it takes time to get back into the swing of things. But, we had to keep comforting ourselves with the reminders of the truth. When the grapes have been harvested, you are allowed to stomp on them to make that wine. When there’s a mud volleyball tournament, you are allowed to get disgustingly filthy, and when Ramadan is over, you are allowed to eat in public!
