Ramadan

My Friday Thought: Remembering my 2023 insight into Ramadan - A day experience for a non-islamic person

Cultural diversity is important to my way of living and also something I try to actively discuss in a working context. I love experiencing others beliefs, cultures and festivals, for me it allows us to gain more of an understanding of what others are about, what they have to go through and can ultimately bring us together.

In 2022, I gave a shout out to all who would be celebrating the end of Ramadan, I was challenged to join them the next year for a day.  Knowing it was upcoming I asked questions on what I needed to do.

Before fasting:

So Wednesday 22nd March 2023 I ate later and more than I usually would.  I set my alarm for 4am.  I actually woke at 0330 Thursday so didn't have to disturb the household when my alarm went off.

Intention - Eat loads.  Reality - Not really hungry so I had a bowl of cereal and went back to bed.

Breakfast wasn't too bad, as I wasn't hungry, but I had decided that I couldn't be 100% hardcore and I was going to have 500ml of water throughout the day.  I had some sips before our daily huddle at 9am.

Working day:

Huddle - I love my tea in the morning and am usually on my second by this point.  I was really missing the warmth of the drink and was a lot colder than usual.

Lunch - Other than the smells from the kitchen from my partner cooking 12 o'clock wasn't too bad.

Ok this is hard - 2 o'clock actually became a hard two hours.  I had only drank about 50ml by 12. 2-4 I was halfway through my 500ml limit and was feeling hungry.

Daughter comes home from nursery at 4.30 and actually getting her a little chocolate cake, wasn't too bad.  The slight pain in my stomach was gone and I was looking forward to eating the pizza that my partner and daughter were going to make for me.

Food time:

Watching my daughter make me pizza was actually fun, the pizzas came out faster than I expected so I needed to wait for mine.  After my little one was tucked up in bed, I sat down to watch TV for the 10 minutes before I could eat.  I jumped to the kitchen at 1832 to pop the pizza into the microwave to warm and grabbed some pop.  The fist sip was amazing and I think it was the best pizza Immy has ever made me 

My views

Overall I only had about 300ml out of my 500ml water bottle, but I personally really needed that small amount to get me through.  Hats off to those that don't cheat with a little water and will continue the cycle until Eid.  I only partook in one day of Sawm (I believe this is the Islamic word for fasting), but I feel like I understand the reflection that is intended during the process.  Its was Lent during this time and I found giving up one thing is far easier 

I would recommend to any interested in understanding some of the culture of the Islamic period of Ramadan to do a day in the life of - it is eye opening.  Or even if you can't do Sawm, maybe Sadaqat the lovely tradition of giving to the less fortunate.

Now I need to find out what food I will eat at Eid to help in the celebration element.