DAY 1: – THURSDAY 31 JULY
DAY 1 of anything new is always a challenge. The practice of fasting is something that I have taken part in regularly, Juice Fast, Lemon Fast – I’ve tried them all in the name of vanity, and so-called personal growth.
The Fast For Darfur was something that I knew nothing about. Berrin Noorata opened my eyes to the organization, it’s purpose, and her experiences fasting for the cause. After hearing what she had to say, I felt compelled to do something. If engaging in my own fast and writing about it could help this cause gain more public attention, then it became something I knew I was going to do!
Recently, I had been going through a lot of personal upset and feelings of loss. The introduction to the food crisis in Darfur really helped me put a lot of things into perspective. Gabriel had introduced me to http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/iact/iact8/day9. The website was extremely powerful, as is his relationship with Adef and their family. I began to realize that this is about Human Rights, and the power of people to actually make a difference. Looking at the steps that each individual had taken, I felt mindful, and a bit melancholy for some reason. And thus the decision to follow through with this fast.
With good intentions, I started my day with a lot of water, rushing around, extremely fast paced, and feeling completely lethargic. I was desperate for caffeine; I had to refer back to the site on several occasions to remind myself to stay strong and keep the cause at the front of my mind. The stories and the journals really helped me, however I still found difficutly maintain my daily schedule, and functioning in the world. I broke the fast at 9.30 pm with some food; so attached to my boot straps, I will try again in the am.
