Hello again. Day 4 was particularly challenging. I did have an illuminating time reading the Book of Mormon, the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur'an. I know that one of the requirements for Muslims is to read the entire Qur'an during Ramadan.
So, my Muslim friends, how is it going? and how far have you got?
I'm a sufferer of severe headaches, as you may remember I wrote about in this article. I wrote in my fasting journal how I was quite surprised I hadn't come down with a headache so far this week. Unfortunately this afternoon it came and at 4pm I broke my fast. I have a family to take care of so I have to look after my health first. I was disappointed I had to stop early but sometimes we have to make such decisions for the better good.
Then I received a comment which was rather negative and sarcastic concerning my Day 3 fasting efforts, so I decided against publishing it.
I have received so many positive and encouraging comments so far which have helped me to continue past a tough Day 1. However, this comment kind of knocked me back a bit, telling me that their 6-year-old could do better than me! Then they told me to, impossibly, not be offended!
"It matters not if you try and fail, and try and fail, and try again. It matters if you try and fail and fail to try again."
I'm a non-Muslim giving this fasting a good try. I tried real hard. I gave every effort I could. But I realised today that I'm not really doing this to please the Muslim community or for anyone else for that matter. I did it for myself, to get closer to God, spend a little more time 'away' from the world, and for the purposes I mentioned earlier. Those purposes were to develop a greater level of patience so that we could enjoy improved harmony and love at home.
Those purposes have been fulfilled. I feel very calm and at peace with everything.
There are many good people of whatever faith they may be who repeatedly try and fail, and try and fail, and keep on trying again. This includes a number of Christian friends who try their best and fall and struggle, and then dust themselves down and try again. We don't condemn them, or criticise them, we just offer the helping hand again, and again, and again, as long as it remains necessary.
Thank you to all who have commented so positively regarding my Ramadan fasting trial, who have given me a lot of encouragement. I'm pleased to announce the fasting trial has been completed, a little earlier than planned but having fulfilled it's purpose.
I've enjoyed it a lot and I'm glad I gave it a go. I'm definitely better because of it.
All my best wishes are with the Muslims who are fasting faithfully this month.
Once again, I'd be interested to know how my Muslim friends are progressing with their reading of the Qur'an . . .
