The Gift of Ramadan

A rainbow of color winked at Sophia as she handed the Ramadan lights to her momma. These were her favorite decorations, because they made her feel as though a special guest was coming.

Grandma raised an eyebrow. “Pretty,” she said. “Pretty and sparkly. Just like the heart of a person who fasts.”

Sophia stopped twirling. “Really?” she asked. Sophia loved sparkles. Glitter. Stars. Her new ring. It was a gift from Grandma for her birthday last month.
Grandma stopped rocking. “Really.”

Sophia knew that fasting was to not eat or drink from sunup to sundown. Sophia loved food. But she also loved sparkles.
She turned to her momma. “When does Ramadan begin?”

Momma opened the curtain.
Adam, Sophia’s little brother, pointed to the sky.
“Moooooon,” he said.
“That’s right,” Momma answered. “See how thin it is?” Sophia nodded.
“That’s the crescent moon, the beginning of a new month.
Tomorrow is the first day of fasting.”
“Count me in!” Sophia grinned.

Momma woke Sophia when it was so early not even the sun was awake! “Time for sahoor!” she sang.

Sophia sat down to a breakfast of eggs, fruit, and Dad’s pancakes.
But Sophia could barely keep her eyes open.
“You have to eat!” Grandma told her. “It will chase away the hungries.” Sophia reached for a pancake. But a few minutes later…

“Time’s up!” Dad said.
They got up from the table and unrolled the prayer rugs, one by one.

Sophia tried her best to stay awake, but the moment her head touched the ground, sleep came over her.
Momma reached forward to nudge her, but Grandma waved her finger to say, Let her sleep!

When Sophia woke for the second time, it was almost noon. Her tummy was empty, and her throat was dry. But even drinking water was against the rules.
So, Sophia decided to stay busy.
She read for a while.
She organized the clothes in her closet-from least to most sparkly.

And then she drew. But her tummy began to gurgle louder and louder.
“Shh!” Sophia said, “I’m drawing.”
She glanced down at her paper.
“Yikes,” she said. “I’ve got to get out of here!”

Sophia found Adam in front of the TV. In his hand was a humongous cookie. He waved it in front of her face and sang, “Me cookie eat! Yummy. Yum. Yum.”
Sophia’s tummy roared. The cookie looked delicious. “Please stop,” she said, but Adam kept singing. Sophia clenched her hands. She bit her lip. She wanted to yell. Instead she ran out of the room. Her brother chased her.

Adam was fast, but Sophia was faster.
Sophia was so fast she ran out of breath! She needed to hide. Adam was still looking for her.

Sophia turned on the light. “Oh no!” she thought. “I’ve really got to get out of here.” But she couldn’t. Adam was stomping by. Still singing that song.
“Me cookie eat! Yummy. Yum. Yum.”

She plugged her ears. She closed her eyes. Sophia took a deep breath-and the scent of chocolate filled her nose!

“What is this?” asked Grandma.
Sophia’s eyes drifted to the floor. “I got too hungry.”
“There, there, my love. No one expects you to fast for an entire day.” Grandma wrapped Sophia in a big hug. “There’s always tomorrow and the day after and the next. You have a full month to keep trying.” Sophia twisted her ring. She wiped away her tears. “But I wanted to feel sparkly now,” she said.

“You are sparkly!” Grandma said. “I can see your sparkles growing.” Sophia shrugged. She didn’t feel sparkly.
“And did you know,” continued Grandma, “there are other ways to celebrate Ramadan?”

Sophia thought about that. She knew Momma read the Quran. Maybe it gave her head sparkles. But Sophia couldn’t read it. Not on her own.

And her dad was always sharing things with family, friends, and strangers. He said that Ramadan was a time for charity, a special kind of sharing for those who need extra help. But Sophia didn’t have any money.

Sophia was about to give up when she glanced down at Grandma’s hands. They were covered in flour. “What are you making?” she asked. “Yummy food for our first iftar,” Grandma replied.

“That’s it!” Sophia thought. If she couldn’t fast, then at least she could help prepare dinner for those who did.
“And I’m going to help!”