Not Even Water: The Final Stretch
Day 20 of 30
Today is the start of the final stretch of Ramadan. We have now entered the last ten days of this month, which for most people are the most beneficial. It is said that one of these last ten nights was when the Quran was revealed, and the blessing of that night is better than 1000 months. So you can imagine why people try to make the most of the last ten nights.
I always look at Ramadan as three phases, all broken down into ten-day increments.
The first ten days are the adaptation phase. You’re trying to get yourself acclimated to the new routine and way of life. It feels like survival mode.
The second ten days are the routine phase. You’ve become acclimated to the routine of fasting and it’s no longer something you think about, it’s part of your life.
The last ten days are the enriching phase. This is the most important phase of all because you now realize you’re in the home stretch. You see the end is near and the opportunity to get the most out of this month is dwindling.
As we enter the enriching phase it’s important to take inventory of yourself. Ask honest questions about what you’ve taken so far from the month, how it’s made you a better person, and areas that need improvement. These last ten days are an opportunity to enrich the rest of your year through better habits, forgiveness, and finding contentment.
I’m going to work on all those areas of my life during the last ten days, in particular the forgiveness portion. I need to be better at forgiving myself and those around me. None of us are perfect, and the pursuit of our happiness can come at the cost of hurting others. For most people this is done inadvertently, for others it’s intentional. Regardless of the motive, it’s more important for us to find inner peace by letting go of resentment and forgiving those who have hurt us. It’s even more important when you’re the person you need to forgive. After all, hurt people hurt people. And the only way to make your world a better place is to begin by healing the trauma you’ve endured.
Whether you are observing Ramadan or not, I pray that you find some comfort in these last ten days of the month. That these last ten days help alleviate any pain or obstacles you’re dealing with and are replaced with strength and ease. Together, when we pray for the betterment of humanity, we can make the world a better place.
I call this series “Not Even Water” because whenever I tell someone I’m fasting from food and drink, they first ask, “Not even water?” So, for those of you wondering, no food or drink means nothing, not even water. I hope you learned something from this post and follow my journey.
