This is a preschool picture of Paj, the author of our second entry on chapters 12 and 13. The reading really seemed to resonate with her and I think you'll appreciate her insight.
As I was reading about Ranya’s thoughts and worries about her death and what it would be like for her children without her, it reminded me of my mom. My mom would always have this conversation with me about dying, and her fear of my siblings and me not knowing how to survive by ourselves. I usually tell her not to worry about it and that she is just worrying too much. After reading how Ranya feels about dying and leaving her children behind, I understood the concerns on my mother’s mind. Like Ranya, my mother was always safeguarding my siblings and me. She loved and cared for us and protected us with all she has. Growing up, my mom was always so attached to us and we were so attached to her. My mom took my sisters and me with her everywhere she went. She was always saying that without us, she did not feel complete.
When Ranya heard the nurse use the term “expired” after her grandpa died, it opened her eyes to see that everyone is born with their own “expiration dates.” I first heard the term “patient expiration” before my uncle passed away. This was also an eye opener for me. Hearing terms like this is something that may be intense to many others. Like Ranya, that term had opened my eyes to see that everyone has their own expiration date too. I have experienced what Ranya went through and I connected strongly with her emotions.
When I was an adolescent, I was like the little boy who asked Leia how to spell a Muslim name. I did not know that there were other religions out there. I was a Christian and I thought that you go to church and go to heaven, or you don’t go to church and don’t go to heaven. As I grew up, I began to meet people who had different religious beliefs. I was surprised at first. But after a while, I got used to it. Once I got accustomed to the different religions, I became interested in the different types of Gods there are out there.
As an adult and having that opportunity to learn the different types of religions and beliefs, people may sometimes have second thoughts or even have wavering feelings about their beliefs, like Suzanne did. Suzanne was put on the spot and she did not have the courage or confidence to prove her religious beliefs to Ranya and Priscilla. That was when she started wavering about her faith. I can relate to how Suzanne feels and I am sure there are many others who know how it feels too. When people are put in the spot light, they start to get nervous and cannot find things, or they start thinking that maybe their beliefs may be wrong too. That is when they start wavering.
Getting the chance to read about how each of them feels and how they experienced the different religious beliefs was very insightful.
Your new understanding of your mom's concerns probably meanS a lot to her. And if you choose to have your own children, you'll probably relate even more with your mom. While I have chosen not to have children, I realize that I'd probably be able to relate to my mom better if I had. Walking in another's shoes really is an asset when we're trying to understand and even recognize our differences. It's nice that we can sometimes understand more fully just through reading, as you have here. One MORE reason to appreciate reading!
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