Mrs. Cullen is Fasting

Dear Friends,

Muslims don’t only fast during Ramadan. There are many times throughout the year that we are encouraged to fast. (Ramadan is the only time it is required to fast.) Next week it will be a special day for us, a holiday, known as Eid. Eid is twice during the lunar calendar; once after Ramadan and then two months and ten days after that Eid. When we were kids we used to call them Big Eid and Little Eid. Haha. Sigh. I miss being a kid. Things were so simple.

Anyway, those last ten days are when many Muslims go for pilgrimage, Hajj. It’s a requirement to go for pilgrimage once in your lifetime, if you can afford it and are physically able to do so.

Anyway. While 2-3 million Muslims have gone for pilgrimage, it is encouraged that we, who are at home, fast those 10 days. It is also encouraged for us to spend these ten days doing extra good deeds like giving charity, being kind to your parents, etc.

So, I’ve been fasting the last few days and it’s been really nice, thank God. The days are really, really short. The sun sets around 5:45 pm (where I live) and that’s when I break my fast and eat!

I am really enjoying these fasts. It makes me feel good and its been helping me a lot with control. I spend a lot of days eating away, watching TV and surfing the Internet. But when I fast, I try to make the most of my day and try to avoid wasting my time. So, it makes me feel very productive, which makes me happy. Sigh. And I like being happy. The biggest thing I get from fasting is learning control. I have issues with eating. I’m basically in love with it. And fasting teaches me to appreciate the food I have and to consume it in a healthy manner and portion.

Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll ever completely learn how to control my love for food so the only thing I can do is fast frequently. But I don’t mind that....