Ramadan 2010

The news is disappointing. We were holding out hope that Ramadan ended last night. If so then we would sleep in and there would be no school. As it is, they have a half day before Eid Al Fitr starts on the island and the end of Ramadan is to be announced.This is a very Arabic concept. We will see, God willing, maybe maybe not, call tomorrow. Confused yet? Welcome to the fun. Ramadan starts at the order of a cleric in Mecca. He is in his little tower waiting to see the first sliver of the new moon. It is the same at the end. Then it is a three day hootnanny that will keep my kids out of school for three days passed the weekend. Our American Dept. of Defense school takes international kids and also has an agreement with the Bahraini govt. to halt school during Muslim holy days. Our holidays, however, seem to be getting pushed aside even though the school is an American DODEA school. We will put that issue aside before I really get going. You know me.

As their holiday approaches, I feel my mind wandering to another day that is burned in my memory. It just so happens that their celebrations will fall on 9-11. The Bahrain people are our allies. I know in my heart that all Muslims are not represented by those savages that slayed innocents in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. I also know that my two years here will be enriching and help me to understand the Muslim culture in it's many forms. I do feel a sense of loss that I will not be there in the states during 9-11. This stems, I am sure, from the memories of the day in 2001 when it happened. I was in Japan, freshly moved. I was in the Temporary Lodging Facility on base. Bob was settling in as bossman. We get the call in the middle of the night. TV on, stunned. It was like a bad dream. As helpless as everyone felt, there was a small part of me that kept thinking. "I should be home". As irrational as that sounds...What could I have done? nothing.

I know that the important thing is this. Even after 8 years of war and 4 deployments, I still have my Bob with me alive and whole, albeit a little more war weary. I have kept him home long enough to sire 3 gorgeous kids. He is back in the Middle East but we are with him. That seems a miracle in itself.