Bismillah

The older I get the more funerals I seem to attend. I'm grateful none of them so far has been mine. Today was a dear old woman, bony and wrinkly Tetka (Auntie) who, quite honestly, had mostly lost her mind in her 89th year on this earth. Today is the evening of Ramazan, the holy month for Muslims, where they fast during the light hours - intended to cleanse, focus and contemplate. Its also tradition to visit the graves of the deceased...and so we visited the grave of my loyal companera's grandmother. Her resting place is an ancient graveyard on the hills high above old Sarajevo. Spectacular view. When we arrived they prayed, and as they did so the call to prayer resonated from the dozens of minarets that dot the sarajevo skyline. Everything just seemed sort of synchronised. Call me crazy, but not a bad to be laid to rest...

Its also Yom Kippur. Another day of fast and contemplation for our Jewish brothers and sisters. I stand proud in the middle of all these faiths, embracing none of them yet all of them.

And being that its a time of contemplation...and being that we are in the midst of a revolution....i have decided to join the month long fast with my Muslim brothers and sisters. It will offer me insight and time to contemplate this growing rift between all of us. A rift that I understand, but just plain don't get. It's all such nonsense. It serves no purpose except to reinforce our fears. So today I am a Muslim. Tomorrow a Jew. The day after a Christian. And each and every day I am me - and you are you. Regardless of the labels we place on our foreheads, we are flesh and bone. That flesh and bone gets lefts behind, put in the ground for safekeeping by Pacha Mama whilst our spirits soar.

Ramazan Serif Mubarek Olsun to my brothers and sisters in Islam. Do contemplate. Do cleanse. Do realize the end of separation. Do feel the oneness. Hasta la ramazan siempre.