I exposed myself to a tiny bit of hardship today, by undertaking the voluntary fast on the Day of Arafat. To be honest, by 8.30 am I wished I hadn't and urgently needed a cup of tea; by 4.45 pm you would have found me back in the apartment crashed out on the floor; and now at 10.15 pm, almost fully recovered, I'm very glad I completed the fast, despite nursing a slight headache. By the by, Noi also fasted, and did so yesterday as well, without any of my rather pathetic drama.
Why do we do these things? I could give quite a list of reasons, but I'll just mention one, which is by no means the most important, but which I think is an interesting one. Through fasting we both invest the day, the time of year, with significance and are reminded of its inherent meaning and significance, which is so much greater than our individual contribution.
It's almost impossible to explain to those with a belief system that places at its centre the comfort of the individual that seeking to avoid hardship is, in the final analysis, counter-productive.
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