People in Ramadan are just plain ole grumpy! I got up yesterday and sorted out what I was going to do for the day and then went to the small grocery store where I usually buy my vegetables. They were just opening up the store (at 11 am). I noticed that the guys working in the shop (about 6 of them) were having some kind of argument but as soon as I walked in the argument stopped.
They were the surliest bunch! Not one had a smile or a kind word. I bought my vegetables and fruit, the whole time thinking that the atmosphere was thick with anger. I got out of there as quickly as I could. No one offered to help me out to the car with the bags. As soon as I got out the door they erupted into their unfinished argument.
I piled the bags into the trunk and got in the car only to be startled by a hard rapping noise on the window glass directly next to my ear. I looked and found a begger woman pounding away on the window - she wouldn't stop banging away. I just drove off, the whole time hoping she wasn't somehow attached to the car and coming home with me. Why are beggars so rude and why are there so many of them during Ramadan?
I got home, unloaded the groceries and started in cooking. I always cook early in Ramadan. I make sure I'm done by 2:30 so I can take a shower and have a nap, spending the afternoon relaxing, reading, working on some project or another, or just hanging out with my family. I found that if I keep to this schedule I feel better and I'm less likely to be in a grumpy mood. If I find myself behaving badly I can just go to bed and stay there until it's time to eat, thus avoiding making other people miserable.
Why does Ramadan turn people who are normally pleasant into beasts? Where do all these beggars come from and what do they do the rest of the year?
They were the surliest bunch! Not one had a smile or a kind word. I bought my vegetables and fruit, the whole time thinking that the atmosphere was thick with anger. I got out of there as quickly as I could. No one offered to help me out to the car with the bags. As soon as I got out the door they erupted into their unfinished argument.
I piled the bags into the trunk and got in the car only to be startled by a hard rapping noise on the window glass directly next to my ear. I looked and found a begger woman pounding away on the window - she wouldn't stop banging away. I just drove off, the whole time hoping she wasn't somehow attached to the car and coming home with me. Why are beggars so rude and why are there so many of them during Ramadan?
I got home, unloaded the groceries and started in cooking. I always cook early in Ramadan. I make sure I'm done by 2:30 so I can take a shower and have a nap, spending the afternoon relaxing, reading, working on some project or another, or just hanging out with my family. I found that if I keep to this schedule I feel better and I'm less likely to be in a grumpy mood. If I find myself behaving badly I can just go to bed and stay there until it's time to eat, thus avoiding making other people miserable.
Why does Ramadan turn people who are normally pleasant into beasts? Where do all these beggars come from and what do they do the rest of the year?
What do you do to get yourself through Ramadan?
>Why does Ramadan turn people who are normally pleasant into beasts?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are good biochemical connections between food deprivation and irrational behavior.
On a different level, some might argue that the real point of voluntary fasting, or other forms of self deprivation, is the opportunity to face the unpleasant beast within. But, I must admit, seeing the beast in others is a lot more entertaining. You just gotta take it like a spectator sport. We used to go to the old Bab bin Ghisheer vegies market (across from "Black Horse" prison) just to watch a particular vendor get into it with just about every customer. It was great. A few years back, when Ramadan intersected with Christmas, I tried to resurrect the old tradition, over at "Brother Habib's" market, by walking in and wishing everyone a happy Christmas. It didn't go over too well with Brother Habib & Co, I guess they do not have the Bin Ghisheer tradition over in Habibistan. So, my advice is: stay out of the line of fire, but do find the entertainment. There is no other justification to legalized irrationality.
Luckily ramadan started this year on a weekend, giving me a soft start. The hardets and most grumpy days are the first 3 days until my metabolism has set in.
ReplyDeleteI sleep until about 1000 hours, relaxing, clean a bit up, watch TV and scim the news headlines for anything interesting.
Around noon I do some shopping if nescessary, then come home, pray dhur and watch my daily dose of Dallas.
Then I work (writing, articles with deadlines) for a few hours or I sit on my porch enjoying the sun and read a book, or I go for a nice long walk.
Being the usual weirdo, fasting makes my metabolism awake; makes we wanna move my body all the time. Taking a long walk relaxes me.
After asr prayer I usually watch TV again, catching up on the news, or some soap or Dr. Phil or Oprah.
Then around 1630 hours I start on the dinner; preparing it meticously and slowly while battling with the urge to grab a drumstick or a tomato or a glass of water!
Dinner is usually ready before 1830 so I take a short nap on the couch( or a short peek at my blog, as you can see!) before I turn on the Quran on DVD and prepare the last minute jallab juice or warm up the bread before calling the family into the kitchen.
Then we eat, pray mugrhib, watch TV and eat again.
Tuesday I am back to teaching at school, and the worst thing is the sore throat because there is a lot of shouting going on! And even if the kids in school are not allowed to fast, many still do, and they have twice the energy they usually have, fighting, complaining, battling or just playing smart and shouting at each other.
After a few days there is no problem fasting anymore, and I even resume my sports activities during day time.
My eldest daughter has been fasting very nicely this year, and she even toils her temper talking nicely and polite all day, and I have made sure to tell her I´m proud of her, knowing as an ADD-child she has great problems with impulse control. My son is 14 and has no problem fasting at all while carrying along as usual.
Hi Mrs.khadija ....It's me Aimen.
ReplyDeleteRamadan kareem.I wish I can see you,all of you...you and Mrs.Alea and the other soon..(not that much)
Every thing here are perfect,last night I went to the swiming pool that is so close to my uncle's house But I found the outside and the inside one are close...(so I will try at the next weekend).
Right now I,m serching for my oun department,Today I went to one that is verey very beautiful department it,s so big for me and have a very wonderful view because the hous is in the (black forest).so I think I will take it ,But the only broplem is that I have walk 10 min to the nearest bus station,and that is not the problem ,the problem is ....I have go up this mounten every day after work at the dark and I'm frighting from dark,I have feer from walk on it alone at this forest.
and as you know That I'm a forgetful person ,I forgot my camera and other lot of things in libya so I will buy one soon and then I will send you a pictures of my new department ,you will love it.
By the way chek out my new blog
http://hukhuk-huk.blogspot.com/
Hi Mrs.khadija ....It's me Aimen.
ReplyDeleteRamadan kareem.I wish I can see you,all of you...you and Mrs.Alea and the other soon..(not that much)
Every thing here are perfect,last night I went to the swiming pool that is so close to my uncle's house But I found the outside and the inside one are close...(so I will try at the next weekend).
Right now I,m serching for my oun department,Today I went to one that is verey very beautiful department it,s so big for me and have a very wonderful view because the hous is in the (black forest).so I think I will take it ,But the only broplem is that I have walk 10 min to the nearest bus station,and that is not the problem ,the problem is ....I have go up this mounten every day after work at the dark and I'm frighting from dark,I have feer from walk on it alone at this forest.
and as you know That I'm a forgetful person ,I forgot my camera and other lot of things in libya so I will buy one soon and then I will send you a pictures of my new department ,you will love it.
By the way chek out my new blog
http://hukhuk-huk.blogspot.com/
Hey Aiman! Glad that you arrived safely! You're getting an apartment - not a department - the two words look alomost the same but they have different meanings. Sorry to hear that yu forgot your camera - I hope you get one soo so we can see what it looks like where you live. The nicest news is that you have a blog!
ReplyDeleteKeep blogging and stay safe! Ramadan Mubarak!
Khadija Ramadan Karim!
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you Join us at our "online iftaar" ramadan blog!
http://ramadankareem.blogspot.com
We'd love to hear about Ramadan in Libya in photos and words.
Everyone else, welcome and do visit!
This is actually haraam. You should not be mean or cross because you are fasting. In fact there are those that say that such mean behavior, cursing and the like, actually invalidate your fast.
ReplyDeleteBetter not to fast than act like an idiot.
Ramadan Kareem Khadija :) I hope you and your family are doing well.. I thought I would share this link with you.. its the most adorable thing.. its a little boy reciting the quran.. but the way he does it.. will definetly put a smile on your face :) Enjoy!
ReplyDeletehttp://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=142612737333842754&q=italian+quran
Thanks for the video link - adorable!
ReplyDelete