I started to read the Qur'an today. Not the original because it is in Arabic, but a translation. I wish I could speak Arabic. I have some utterly disgusting Arabic insults thanks to my grandmother who never found it worthwhile to teach us any conversational language but who obviously believed it was practical to know how to curse someone out thoroughly. But I strongly suspect her phrases are not in the Qur'an, and she was not Muslim anyway though many of her swears called upon Mohammed and Allah. I am not sure why I want to read the Qur'an or whether I will be able to get through the entire thing. But for now it is interesting me. My grandmother would undoubtedly have had something disgusting to say about this and it makes me laugh to imagine her voice, the broken English and the cussing. The Arabs really know how to say bad words and they taste delicious in my mouth.
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This afternoon I noticed that I love K. I was complaining to him about the spiders in the backyard. I'm rugged about mowing but I'm girly about spiders. I was explaining to him how I have let the back corner of the garden go completely wild so as to provide a place for the spiders and insects and slimy things to live undisturbed. I was telling him that I do not understand why they cannot be satisfied with living in that space, why they have to try and live in the parts of the yard that I consider mine when I have so considerately carved out a little place for them to live. Why can't they stay there and stay the hell away from me? K listened without changing expression and then told me I sound like the Canadian government talking about our First Nations. I felt proud of him like he was my creation, like I had made him myself. I told him so and he told me to shut the fuck up and quit being such an intimacy-whore. I am going to miss him when he moves back to his wife.
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9 comments:
This clinches it. You are batshit crazy.
I think it is important to read the great works of world religions.
It's the only way you can know if you are getting a straight story which you usually are not.
I recently talked to a mormon about polygamy. I have read all their books. When he tried to tell me how wonderful polygamy is, and how there is no compulsion in it, I knew he was lying. So keep up the good work.
It's understandable that you got pissed about all of those creepy crawly things, after all, he's leaving. Or maybe it's because he's leaving that you love him. Or, and this is the one I like the best. He's a creepy crawly but you love him anyway. I know there are endless other options but I think that if I said anything more I'd just be speculating:)
One more. Maybe you love him because he's unavailable. Either way, you love him, it's sad, he's leaving.
I love what he said too, so I guess that makes me an intimacy whore as well.
ac: I think I need clarification as to which part of this you find crazy.
Tonjia: Hi! Thanks for your note. How do I know if I get the straight story from the book itself though? This is where I get confused. Obviously this book was not written by Allah himself, so it's somebody's interpretation of somebody's interpretation... and how do I know one of these guys wasn't afflicted with stupidity... or worse?
Spindrift: I am considering each of these possibilities in turn... and thinking maybe it's a combination of all these factors. Largely I love him because he's lovable and has become part of my family in most of the ways that matter. I am happy that he's working things out with his wife though. Just sad that it means he leaves us.
Heart: I chose to take "intimacy-whore" as a compliment and clearly it is true. I want to be very tightly connected to people I care about because they interest and excite me. When K said what he said it cemented something I was starting to wonder about, the possibility K is really quite brilliant in his own way. And I hope you take intimacy-whore as a compliment too, and I hope you are one in your life because it feels very good to be that kind of whore.
Oh so many kinds of crazy. Arabic cursing and reading religion and trying to pen spiders and more all in one place. You're a madwoman. (ehC)
Personally I love that you're reading the Qur'an. I agree with the earlier comment about reading the major books of the world religions. I think each has something extraordinary to offer.
I also think that in these days of so much political and cultural tension it helps to have a legitimate background or understanding of some of the core doctrinal material. Personally I found the Qur'an very beautiful.
My favorite prayer from it was the following:
Forgive these 3 sins due to my human limitations: You are everywhere, but I worship you here. You are in all forms, but I worship you in these forms. You need no praise, but I offer you this praise and thanksgiving.
Hard to beat that one. :)
Hi J, I have not heard from you in a very long time. I hope things are well. I am still reading, slowly, because I am trying to understand clearly. But I don't. I do not understand, not really. But I like trying to.
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