IT'S 0606H and I'm already hungry. By now, I am thinking of quiting my Ramadan vow. I'm already late for class, I still have a case to work on and tons of readings to do. It is hard to concentrate on an empty stomach. Nonetheless, I just remind myself of the millions of Muslims (and among then, thousands of doctors, nurses and medical students) who are also observing Ramadan.
I asked F yesterday the rationale behind this practice and she told me that it is humbling one's self, ridding one's self of pleasure and understanding the suffering experienced by others.
The focus of Ramadan is self control; being able to control one's impulses (such as negative emotions and want of food and sleep) in the midst of hardship.