We all want connection

I went to dinner with a friend last night at a Moroccan restaurant in Denver.  We had the entire place to ourselves, which later I remembered because of Ramadan.  The owner was hobbling around with his broken foot waiting on us diligently, engaging in our conversation.  When we were getting up to go he invited us to come back after Ramadan for the live music.  I had to ask him some questions about Ramadan because I am in a continuous stage of soaking up as much information as I can, always wanting to learn.  He told us about the importance of fasting during Ramadan and how it can open your eyes to so many incredible things God wants to show you.  Going to bed hungry is a feeling that is way more prevalent than we could possibly imagine.  By fasting you are able to feel empathy for those that are poor and hungry, they may even be your family members.  He shared with us how he feels that Christianity should adopt a fasting ritual similar to Ramadan because it can bring you to such a higher understanding of God's heart and the cleansing benefits our bodies reap from a sunrise to sun up fast. He compared us to cars running 24 hours a day, needing a break. The most important thing I took away from this conversation with him was the importance of taking care of each other in a familial and community level.  He said that in his faith you feed the hungry poor people in your family FIRST, then you branch out to your neighborhood and then FINALLY your community.

Everyone has their own opinions on religion, eating habits, and spirituality.  But isn't it incredible that he was able to share this deep insight into what is important to him?  I feel that he wanted to connect on a deeper level, his heart was yearning for it.  I was intrigued by his truth and the importance he placed on the things that made his heart soar.  At the end of the day humans need connection, we want to share our truths with others; how we get it is unique to each of us.