Iftar

Eastview graduation June 2, 2018

Today is the 12th day after the accident which changed an entire constellation of lives, most especially Ben, David and Robin, but including our own and many others.

The latest update on Bennie is here.  As I write, I note 11,912 visits to Caring Bridge.

It overwhelms, really  Thank you all.

There has been more, these 12 days.  Several high school graduations;  then graduation parties, and a wedding to attend this weekend.  I watched grandson Spencer get his 5 seconds in the spotlight, one of 500 (that’s not his picture above, but you get the idea.  We had the best seats in the house, the overflow room with closed circuit TV!)

Thursday, Grandson Ted turns 18, and graduates.

In a month Spencer heads for Marine basic training; a month later Ted is off to college.  Spencer notes there will be another graduation in October out in California.  Graduation is indeed a “commencement”, as we all know, who’ve walked a block or two in life.

But I think the highlight of the week for both of us was participating in Iftar at the new mosque in our community.

Woodbury area mosque May 31, 2018

I would guess that there were about 250 of us in attendance, as the Ramadan daylight waned – 8:43 p.m. at our site – the time to break fast.  Iftar.

We were introduced to the community, and at each table one member of the congregation sat with us to answer questions.  Our hostess grew up in Riyadh.  There were evening prayers by the Congregation, which we observed.  After sunset we had a delicious meal.

What is always striking to me, and it was this particular evening, was how similar practices in different religious denominations are.  I happen to be Catholic: it is very easy to find many similarities to Islam, especially going back in time a few years: head covering; Nuns dress, on and on and on.

Evening over, feeling refreshed, we went our separate ways.  But I had not yet learned the most important lesson of our evening.

Yesterday, the phone rang and the person at the other end was the young woman who had sat at the table with us last Thursday.  This is the last week of school in this school district, and her kids had come home and told about this schoolmate who had been in a very serious car accident, and could they do something.

We had not talked about our family crisis that evening, but in the way things work, somehow or other they connected the dots: our grandson was the person who had been hurt and was in the hospital.  They wanted to help in some way.

As I speak, the young persons are preparing some sort of care basket for Bennie, who they probably don’t know personally – it is a large school.

What a heart-warming way to end a day.

Blessed Ramadan.

The still under construction Woodbury mosque.

2 replies
  1. Rukhsana Ghouse
    Rukhsana Ghouse says:

    Dear Dick

    I was also at the Iftar that evening. I’d like to thank you for your kind and inclusive comments about our community.

    It was a lovely evening and we are extremely appreciative of all the guests who gave of their time and effort in joining us for a meal.

    God bless you and your family

    .. Rukhsana

    Reply

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