Funny story while donating blood today

[rurallib]

I donate at a large hospital.Three of the staff are Muslim. One of them is a middle aged really wonderful lady of @ 50. I'll call her S.

I asked S if she was observing Ramadan. I usually try to do so every year. She said of course she and her family were. I expressed some sympathy for having to forego food for such a long time each day. She told me it was from 4AM to 8:40 here.

As I was being prepped for donation by another nurse (I will call her T) S walked by and I asked if they were at least able to drink water. S said no, no food, no drink.

T was surprised by this and commented how tough it must be. S nodded her head.

I interjected that at least next year it wouldn't be quite as bad since it starts 30 days earlier the next year. S said she really likes the years it lands in December.

T said "Doesn't that really screw up your Christmas?" S had a kind of puzzled look on her face. So I said "S is a Muslim." T responded "So what does that have to do with it?" And almost as soon as she said it, she realized what she said.

S started laughing and T did, too with a very sheepish grin. I asked S if that bothered her at all and she said "Nope. Best laugh I've had in a long time."

[left-of-center2012]

1. I had 3 close Muslim friends in L.A. in th 1980's

While they did not celebrate the religious aspects of Christmas,
they did decorate and exchange gifts with us.

[rurallib]

2. folks of many faiths and non-faiths celebrate a winter holiday

and many call it christmas.

I actually gave an emergency donation on christmas a few years back and one of the Muslim nurses drew on me. She told me about their celebration of "longest night" that had many similarities to Christmas.

[Fla Dem]

5. Many of the "modern" religions drew on pagan celebrations and rituals to attract followers.

Christmas is a good example. The 12 days of Christmas actually relates to a Druid mid winter festival.

[hibbing]

3. I liked this, thanks n/t

[LeftInTX]

4. The water stuff always amazes me. Gosh, the ME is sooo hot.

How do they do it?

[onethatcares]

6. thru dedication

try to fast for a full day here in the states. Or just go for 12 hours of nothing to eat or drink.

I can only do it overnite while I'm sleeping.

[rurallib]

7. It about killed me that day before my colonoscopy

and I could drink water.

[Massacure]

8. Are you south of the Equator?

I'm trying to figure out why December would be so bad, and that is the only thing I can think of - December 21 being the longest day instead of June 21.

Come to think of it, I wonder if there are any Muslims at any of the antarctic research stations. At McMurdo for example, the sun never set between October 23, 2016 and February 18, 2017.

[rurallib]

9. No - december isn't bad - reread it

but that makes me think maybe the Muslim world should move to Australia when Ramandan comes during May - August.

you know - if Mohammed won't go to the mountain, then the mountain must come to Mohammed kind of thing.