Meaning

The past few blog entries have been observations about stuff -- t-shirts and shoes, housewares and cars. I find that being in a new and different place, my senses are heightened, to take in as much as I can, knowing I’m here for a short time. So, I switch, between focusing on the stuff, to the more intangible, or spiritual side of life in West Africa.

While this is the time for Lent, it’s also the period of fasting** in the Baha’i Faith. So, it’s a time to slow down, do with less, and reflect inwardly. It’s been doubly interesting to experience this daily exercise here, as I’m in an environment where fasting – both for Muslims and Christians – is not so unusual as it is in the U.S. Fasting is one of the shared physical-spiritual experiences in most parts of the world. It is a very personal practice, but if the subject comes up with someone here, deep understanding and respect is displayed. Fasting creates a bridge between believers of various faiths that reinforces our common humanity.

I’m increasingly struck by the seamless weaving of spiritual practices, in general, in this society. The weakness of Africa may be its poverty, but one of its strengths is its detachment (generally) from material excess. If anyone has anything, it is shared. On one hand, this creates less incentive to amass wealth and makes substantive investments difficult to make. On the other hand, few people starve (though many might be malnourished), and generosity is built into the acquiring of anything – from a piece of bread to sharing a ride if there is room in your car.

My husband thinks that one of the qualities the world can learn from Africa is patience. In so many ways, patience and generosity are virtues associated with material things, but they also are profoundly spiritual, and it shows how closely associated the spiritual and material can be…just like fasting does.

**from sunrise to sunset for 19 days, ending on the first day of Spring, the Baha’i New Year