Hunger pangs came, and went as usual but by 5 p.m. (sunset was at 6:20 p.m.) I felt good enough to cook dinner for the family with little temptation. It's usually when I cut up fruit or something like that that I have to move quick. Juicy fruit (not the gum) is a big temptation for me and I find myself doing my best to stop from tasting food.
Besides being tired mid-afternoon the day went relatively smooth.
It's a funny thing when you fast and have to cover an event for the newspaper that involves food. People usually offer me food and in last night's case it was a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper.
Trying my best not to drool and make people pass out with my bad breath, I had to decline their offer to eat. Now, at some point I realized an explanation was needed, so here I was in the middle of a pancake supper, explaining to anyone that offered food, who I was and why I couldn't eat.
It's a funny thing being me and being a Baha'i. I'm pretty shy about what's happening with me personally but fasting sort of forces me out of my hiding place. This, I find, is ultra inconvenient; I would rather be in a shell of anonymity when it comes to the fast. This way no-one knows I'm fasting, it's almost like a way out if I decide the temptation of pancakes is too great.
But writing about it to the world helps keep me honest. For some, abstaining from food or drink may seem like no big deal, but for me, it's a challenge.
I feel like this the guy who's proud he can count to ten: The good deeds of the righteous are the sins of the Near Ones.
This quote from Abdu'l-Baha makes me realize that every person has their own personal capacity and spiritual challenge. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I can't do better, I'm just saying that everyone is on a different level but the end goal is the same.
Shadows and light. I realize that last year at this time there seemed to be a lot less snow and higher temperatures.
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