Last week I read Toronto Star columnist Rick Salutin’s column (The Ramadan kids go to the cottage). What struck me most about what he writes is how words alone fail us.

He writes about having 2 Muslim children spend a few days at the cottage with his son and himself, and the experience of fasting alongside them since it is Ramadan. He mentions the slower pace and the quiet that settled in after the first day; a sort of meditative state, he says.  And then he goes on to discuss slowing down and the deliberateness it brings with it.

Which got me thinking of how little words tell us without context – except that we often don’t realize this is the case. By having a small experience, he was able, in a few short paragraphs, to connect me with this month in a way I haven’t before. Because of this column, I can connect to the quiet that I experience on a slow walk with my dog, or canoeing or sitting in nature – and I can now feel some of the essence within the month. He wasn’t sharing facts, or just using the word Ramadan to stand for it all, he shared his experience.

As we hurry through life, and the busy-ness and bottom lines of work – how often do we brush aside opportunities to share experiences and stories because there is no time or we think we “get it”.

What opportunities are we missing (and who are we missing) as a result?

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copyright 2011 Annemarie Shrouder

If you are Muslim, or know someone who is, you likely know that Ramadan started on Sunday night (July 31st) and that it will run for a month. While it isn't a religious observance that requires absence from work, it can impact the workplace.  For those of you who don't think religion has a place at work, think again.

Ramadan is the ninth month (and the holiest month) in the Islamic calendar. Since the Islamic calendar is lunar (using the cycles of the moon) this means that when referenced on a Gregorian calendar (used in North America and most Western countries) that is static, the dates change yearly.  Ramadan is a month of fasting and spiritual reflection. While you may be tempted to brush this aside as "not my business" there are some implications that, if acknowledged, can make this month much smoother for everyone in the office.

Fasting

During Ramadan, devout Muslims eat only before sunrise and after sunset. For some, this even includes water. The length and heat of summer days adds to the challenge. Here are three suggestions that you can implement until August 30th, to acknowledge the reality of fasting employees. I'm sure you will agree that all of these fall within reasonable accommodations in the workplace.

Schedules:
If you have ever skipped lunch because you were too busy, you know how this can affect your concentration and patience (among other things) later in the day as your blood sugar drops. Scheduling meetings in the morning means your fasting employees will have more energy. Board meetings that typically occur in the evenings, or expectations to meet with clients over dinner are especially problematic.

Get togethers and celebrations:
Although your fasting employees will likely say "don't worry about me, I just won't eat" think about it: if you hadn't eaten since the sun came up, and had hours to go, would you want to stand around and make small talk over hors d'oeuvres? If you can postpone the festivities until Ramadan is over, do so.

Flex time:
If your company does flex time, this may be something to discuss with your employees who are fasting. Working earlier in the day and/or from home may be an option they may like to consider during Ramadan.

Still think religion doesn't impact work? Think again.

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copyright 2011 Annemarie Shrouder
www.beeing.ca

I’m listening to Austrian Radio. The show is called Moment – Leben Heute (Life Today)  Today’s topic is the mosque in Vienna and the public opinion that surrounds it.

It’s worth noting that these are not solely Austrian opinions that I am hearing on this show.  I also hear these arguments in Canada (and I can safely assume one would hear them all over the world) about immigrants and people that are “not like us”.  There is a name for this: xenophobia. In this case, we can also call it Islamophobia.

The complaints about the Mosque, it seems, are not about religion, but about the things that accompany it: congested streets, lack of parking, noise.  In particular they mention the Eid celebrations with firecrackers and the lack of street parking during Ramadan. It occurs to me that these are the types of things we pick at because we don’t want to show our intolerance and racism. At one point a bus passengers complaint is shared as the bus stops to let a large crowd of Mosque-bound people cross the street. His fellow passenger replies “My God, they are just going to pray. We’ve been doing that for ages.” And I have to smile. Because in a predominantly Christian country, I’m sure there are parking issues at Easter and Christmas (and maybe every Sunday, depending on the size of the town), and I can imagine there are firecrackers at New Years. And I wonder who complains then.  You see, it’s not about that. It’s about the fact that we as a human race continue to have trouble accepting difference – and seeing the common humanity beneath it.
See more. Be more. 
    
© Annemarie Shrouder 2010