Hauntings

20 Ramadhan, 1440

I read an article the other day in which the writer was talking about feeling the need to eat a tub of ice cream whilst binge-watching Game of Thrones. I found it difficult to relate to the idea, I must say. As far as I can remember I've never eaten a whole tub of ice cream and I've certainly never watched an entire episode of the programme in question.

But I did wake up today (for the second time, after going back to bed following the Dawn Prayer) with a very distinct desire to drink a cup of tea before starting work for the day. The feeling lasted all of thirty seconds and faded. And just before going to the gym this evening I recall thinking that I didn't feel in much of a mood to do so, a thought that faded almost as soon as it manifested.

At one time I believed that desires similar to those above would extinguish themselves with time, become entirely unreal. I don't think that now. They are still there, but unless we actively feed them they become much less real, they seem to belong less to us. I'm guessing that the poor guy haunted by ice cream has never quite found that out, unfortunately for him. It's a deeply useful discovery to make.