I said to a new friend in Singapore, as we talked during a lunc time break at a contest, "Don't let me keep you. I have a packed lunch. Do you want to go and get your lunch?"
"No, thank you," she said. "I'm fasting, so I'm happy to stay here talking to you. But you eat your packed lunch, if you want to."
I should have remembered. She was wearing a bright colourful, red, head covering.
I asked, "Does it bother you, seeing others eat when you are fasting?"
"Not at all," she said. "I have my timetable. They have theirs. I know other poeple, especially in other countries, are bothered, but I am not."
"You mean Malaysia?"
"Yes, some parts of Malaysia are very strict, about what they let you do in public, and private."
"What if you can't fast? Who is exempted?"
"Women are exempted when they are menstruating. You make up the missed days later."
"What if you can't do that? If you have a long-term illness?"
"Then you give money to the poor and hungry instead."
"Thank you so much for explaining that to me."
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and phtographer, author and speaker.
"No, thank you," she said. "I'm fasting, so I'm happy to stay here talking to you. But you eat your packed lunch, if you want to."
I should have remembered. She was wearing a bright colourful, red, head covering.
I asked, "Does it bother you, seeing others eat when you are fasting?"
"Not at all," she said. "I have my timetable. They have theirs. I know other poeple, especially in other countries, are bothered, but I am not."
"You mean Malaysia?"
"Yes, some parts of Malaysia are very strict, about what they let you do in public, and private."
"What if you can't fast? Who is exempted?"
"Women are exempted when they are menstruating. You make up the missed days later."
"What if you can't do that? If you have a long-term illness?"
"Then you give money to the poor and hungry instead."
"Thank you so much for explaining that to me."
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and phtographer, author and speaker.
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