This Time for Gratitude

It is Ramadan, and I am thankful for many things. I love the discipline of fasting and paying extra attention to my prayers. Remembering to make time for prayer, and having hunger and thirst as steady reminders keep me focused on the purpose of this yearly devotion. Literally dozens of times each day, I think about my faith, my good fortune, and I empathize with millions of other humans who do not choose their "fasts" freely. I am thankful.
It has been a difficult year for me, I can't remember having this many transitions to deal with. My job search was long and arduous, and there were many times that I thought I might not find a good situation before our savings were exhausted. It has been more than a year since I have had an easy, peaceful sleep. These days I am sleeping a bit better, the fasting helps I think. I break fast after eight pm with a few dates and a glass of buttermilk. I pray then have a light meal. I try to sleep by eleven, and I wake at five to have some water and fruit. The schedule is comforting.
This Ramadan does bring hope and clarity. My job is challenging and I can immerse myself in it. I am pretty much alone though, living in an efficiency apartment on the third floor of a house. I know I just need to keep my head down and keep moving forward. It has also been a revealing month - there have been several old friends who have resurfaced and really boosted my faith in myself. There have also been a few who have retreated, allowing me to apply some much needed distance. All in all, my world is much clearer than it has been for the past several years. I am thankful for this.
No matter what is coming, I have this month to keep the right things in my life in focus. I am thankful for my family, for the multitude of blessings I have received in my life, and most of all, I am thankful that Allah has given me the skills and motivation to help others. I have done this my entire professional life, and I know there are small, sporadic pieces of the earth that are a bit better because I cared. I am very thankful.