The crescent moon came up, so magnificent that friends on multiple continents remarked about its beauty. The advent of this blessed month was announced by the Moon Sighting Committee. It was an auspicious start for Ramadan 2020. The call to prayer echoing from the mosques, which has urged the faithful for 13 centuries to “Come Pray!” now implores followers to “Pray at home!”
In Ramadan’s month-long focus on introspection, charity, and self discipline, 2020 has the world’s population captive and humanity synchronously practicing these principles, while facing our individual and collective fears and vulnerabilities.
I’m always struck by the phrase ‘Shelter in Place’. Growing up during the cold war, i associated a shelter with a response to a chemical or radiological event. Shelter is a powerful word. It may be shelter from the storm, protection from an air raid, a safe place for a refugee, the homeless, destitute, stateless, the outcast, victims of violence, lost or discarded animals. You could also lead a sheltered life, receive shelter from family, friends or strangers, reduce liability in a tax shelter or wait for a bus there. It has an essence of spiritual meaning to “take shelter” or “give shelter” or “seek shelter” or “find shelter” in times of suffering. Shelter offers solace. So sheltering in place requires us to find solace within ourselves.
On May 13th, the anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima’s appearance in Portugal, my amazing Aunt S. sent me a photo of a crimson-red rose she cut from a plant my grandmother Stella planted so many years ago. Stella had planted the roses in honor of the Blessed Mother. Aunt S. says she hasn’t been giving the rose plant much attention, but this year she will give it some food and prune it in honor of her mother. She prays diligently, for all of us, looking out at these roses, each day.
I have a bracelet given to me by my darling D. and Z. They created much of the jewelry i have worn for the past decade. The bracelet reads GAMBLE EVERYTHING FOR LOVE IF YOU’RE A TRUE HUMAN BEING.
Transformation is fucking hard. And usually we have a lot more distractions available. Life is a gamble. A real Hail Mary.
Gamble everything for love,
if you’re a true human being.
If not, leave this gathering.
Half-heartedness doesn’t reach into majesty.
You set out to find God, but then you keep stopping for long periods at mean-spirited roadhouses.
Don’t wait any longer. Dive in the ocean, leave, and let the sea be you.
Silent, absent, walking an empty road, all praise.
–Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī
The Eid Al-Fitr holiday will begin tomorrow in Qatar. It was announced today by the Amiri Diwan, the seat of rule and administrative offices of HH The Amir. Eid Mubarak. Happy Eid!
As a world, we are working our way through the evolution of salutations. I have heard some different new sign-offs of late: to our loved ones, from a TV anchor, from strangers on customer service phone calls. “Stay safe.” “Be safe.” “Hope everyone in your world is staying healthy!” Your world. My World.
Is there a World flag?
If there is, we should fly it.
