Ramadan

I’ve been fasting. As a type I diabetic, one must take every precaution. If there is the slightest danger of falling ill, then one must break the fast. I had to do this on Saturday as 8 hours in, with 5 hours to go, I got a hypo and had to end my fast early.

So far I’m doing fine.

It’s an interesting process of self-denial; food and water I can do without for 13 hours. The difficult pat is not swearing. Or more abstractly, engaging in “right thinking”. One must exercise patience and humility. Ramadan is a superb teacher of self-restraint. That’s a lot of swearing I’m not doing. Which makes me practically unrecognisable.

The end of the day is a marathon. The last few minutes trickle down like rocks don’t through an egg-timer. Then eating just a couple of fresh dates leaves me feeling exhausted and not a million miles from satiety, especially after half a glass of water.

My eldest has gone on a school trip for a week. I have been able to pay for it and all the stuff she needed to, as well as give her some pocket money and allow her to take her ipod as well. Given my financial constraints for much of this year and most of last, that’s an achievement that I won’t be taking for granted!

My youngest also told me that she wants to see me more often, that she can’t wait until the following Saturday and she needs to see me before then. That was gratifying. My efforts have not been in vain i seems.

Political life is not intruding into my thoughts much, as I want to exercise patience and restraint this much, thus the dearth of output of my usual vitriolic nature. I’m not even reading xymphora.

Peace.