A visit to a Muslim country

Hello - I am back from a two week vacation in a warm Muslim/Arab country. It was fascinating and wonderful...my husband and I visited a 9th century mosque and the imam took my hands into his, and holding me close, he said: "There is one God; Christian, Jewish, Muslim; there is one God, and God is love."

It was beautiful and deeply touching. I felt he wanted me to take his message back to America. So here I have....

Muslims often abstain from alcohol. This was great. They have so many wonderful alcohol free drinks. Fabulous! The lemons were almost like limes and there was a drink made with lemons, fresh mint, sugar and ice that was out of this world! And hibiscus tea is so divine, hot or cold. Cold, it is mixed with sparkling water and lime.

Being "off line" and away from it all, and immersed in a new culture and new people for two weeks was energizing and inspiring.  I do know how very lucky I am to have been able to make this trip.  A trip of a lifetime.

I just returned to my computer, and to reading various blog spots and groups for folks trying to contain their alcohol consumption. Seeing it all from a fresh perspective, what struck me is this: for so many people, it is a regular, daily struggle to decide whether to drink or not. It is a cycle for so many people, and I truly feel that it puts a big strain on them.

Every day, so much mental energy spent trying to decide whether to drink or not; counting drinks, having too many, self-flagellation, recovery, and repeat. Exhausting and draining. And yet, for so many of us (of course, including me at points in my life), we have gone along this way, thinking that it was "normal," or somehow all that we deserved. It isn't okay, because we deserve so much better. We deserve peace. Give peace a chance.

I love being free from worry. I just read about the Bollywood actress who died at age 53 in Dubai (I was in Dubai for one day during my journeys). Turns out she was drunk and slipped in her bathtub and drowned.  So sad, and it could happen or could have happened to so many of us. Ah, I can now say that God willing, that will never happen to me. 

I was saying the other day that it is impossible to be mindful and drunk. As a spiritual person, I want to be mindful now, and at that day when I pass on from this life. Dying drunk would be absolutely horrible, to my thinking.

On that rather depressing note, I will sign off for now! Hope to hear from some of you soon, and that you are all doing well...