#findacause

Assalamalaykum, everyone. 

I hope this message finds you well. Today was filled with thoughts for me. I've moved home (not permanently, but I won't be going back to school for some time) and I'm happy to see my family. I'll miss my friends, but given how often I move around, this isn't really a problem. I find ways to keep in touch, and in the digital era this is easier than ever. I still send out Eid Cards and presents from time to time, though, and that's typically via snail mail. 

For example, I sent a friend from Turkey some Cuban coffee she wanted. This is one of those things I'm happy to do - I like getting friends gifts, and though my gift-giving is not uniform (I'm unfortunately not in a position where I can afford to do it for everyone and every time) I do try to make sure I get friends a present either on their birthday or Christmas or Eid, or so on or so forth. I like doing it. That said, one of the things that I've picked up during this and past Ramadans is that we can't always have what we want. Ramadan isn't simply denying yourself food, water, and other things. It's also about learning to live without and being patient. We will not always have to fast - 11 months out of the year, it is not mandatory for us. But that doesn't mean that it's the same for everyone.

It's not good to always have what you want. Sometimes that thing that you want is bad for you - imagine eating unhealthy foods. I know during Ramadan that i have a constant craving to go get some fried chicken. I love fried chicken. But, it's not something I should eat every day. It's high in calories, high in cholesterol, and frankly eating too much of it makes my stomach physically upset. During this month, I haven't had any - and that was to some extent deliberate. No, it wouldn't have been difficult to go get some at night - but it wouldn't have been halal, and it was also a conscious choice on my part to avoid it. Now that I'm back home, I can have it - but I'll save it for when Eid has occurred. 

Similarly, my friend is a coffee addict. She loves coffee in all its' forms and so drinks it frequently. But when she is fasting, she has to give it up as well. She has to control her urges - and when she gets the coffee I sent her, I hope that she'll see it as a reward for her self-control and as a celebration for the end of the month of Ramadan. We've both had to go without, and I hope that will make us better people. 

Keep in mind though, that there's more to it than just us going on. For many people on this planet, the fast doesn't end when Ramadan does. They have no choice but to be strong, in the face of oppression, poverty, and hunger. Their struggles continue. We get to at least do it on a full stomach. So as this Ramadan comes to a close - think of ways to help. Everyone is required to play zakat-ul-fitrah before Eid. That's always a good first step. But we can and do go beyond. Look for oppression and suffering in the world. Try and find ways to combat it. Create awareness, and don't be afraid of facing criticism. There will always be those who think your cause is futile - don't let these naysayers get in your way. There is violence and death all over the world, and unfortunately it's not all covered in the news. But the signs are there, and if you search hard enough, you can find it. 

Once you find that cause - learn from this month. We have learned the art of sacrifice. You can use that sacrifice to empower someone else. Balance your needs, with someone else's. If we can all learn to live like that, there is no problem that we cannot solve.