I would probably be screaming and cheering and typing in all-caps if it weren't for my foolish, repetitive mistake of eating salty food in the morning- (Pro-tip for fasting people: Avoid spices and sweets in the morning as they dry out your mouth, eat more fruits and vegetables in the morning or rice and foods that absorb water, save the more savory and sweet foods for Iftar) But anyways- Alhamdulillah, it's Ramadan!!!! This is genuinely my favorite time of year, it feels so beautiful and happy and I can't even- I love this, I love Allah, I love the Prophet (saw) and this is amazing, I thank Allah for letting me live to see another Ramadan- Uh- wow. This is just- wow. I still can't process this, it feels like just yesterday when it was Laylatul Qadr and my family was squinting at the sky and trying to conjure up some sign that we'd stayed up on the right night- but here we are again. This is genuinely so amazing, I can hardly process this, non-Muslims can't comprehend how much this month really means for us, it's genuinely just amazing, and I'm so proud and happy to be a Muslim, so glad that Allah guided me to this faith, because I can't imagine living a life without Islam, I can't imagine who I would be without faith- probably dead, considering- uh- *squints at 8th + 9th grade depressive episodes* But I'm alive! And I'm here! And that's just- amazing, uh- I've been trying to stop listening to music, and another tip for Muslims- if you're an avid music listener, as many of us are, I feel like it's important to try breaking away from that, at least while fasting. There are so many beautiful vocals-only nasheeds to listen to- This is genuinely such a blessed month, it hasn't even been a day, and my family has already seen so many of our problems unraveled, fasting does wonders for my health- Alhamdulillah. Remember to thank Allah and be in constant remembrance- this is the best month to worship, to do good- and doing good isn't just hiding in your room and doing religious things- reading the Qur'an, engaging in zikr, that's amazing, but that's for yourself- and doing things to help other people is even better, gives you even more rewards, so do what you can to make this month amazing, not just for yourself, but for others as well- *brandishes pile of gel pens and fancy letters and supplies from Positive Psychology* Time to get some smiles on people's faces- Well anyways, ah- Ramadan Mubarak! May Allah bless us all, and give us peace and contentedness in this world and the hereafter! (and if you're a person who sees my projects and is confused now that I'm acting religious, just, uh, just accept it for what it is, faith is awesome <3)
