Best date ever!

I've never had a better date...and that's probably because I'm not speaking in romantic terms. Earlier this evening (I should say last night), I and a couple other famished/parched friends light-headedly made our way to the Iftar hosted by De Paul student group, UMMA. The buffet stations wouldn't open for another few minutes; in the meantime, UMMA members offered dates to the starving Fast-A-Thon participants (i.e. ME). At that point, I was so hungry and thirsty I thought the date was one of my best "meals" ever...well, at least before I saw the dinner spread: chafing dish after chafing dish of falafel, tabouli, hummus and other middle eastern treats.

It's weird how difficult this particular fast was since I've been dieting for as long as I can remember, and I should be used to the starve-yourself-then-binge routine. I guess it was the no-water "rule" the killed me! By mid-day, my head started to hurt...I needed agua so bad that I couldn't even imagine licking the envelope for a letter I was sending out. What a waste of fluids, I thought! Yes, it was that bad!

I seriously have so much respect and admiration for all Muslims who do this daylong fasting for a month every year; and sadness for those who live under conditions where something as basic as water is neither readily available nor accessible.

I am deeply humbled by my one day waterless experience.