Being away from your family feels hard, especially during the month of Ramadan. This blessed month is usually synonymous with gathering with family, right?
However, it couldn't be helped. There are dreams that I have to fight for overseas.
There is one lasting memory that I will always remember about the month of Ramadan, namely about the beauty of sharing.
My story started when I wanted to find takjil to break the fast. That day it felt very hot, my choice fell on fresh and sweet fruit soup.
Illustration of fruit soup/Photo: Freepik/edgunn
I arrived at a stall selling fruit soup. Because I was breaking the fast alone, I only bought one portion.
“How much is one serving, sir?” I asked.
“12 thousand, Sis,” replied the seller.
Not long after, the seller handed over the fruit soup I ordered. What surprised me was that the seller gave me a large plastic bag containing fruit soup, not a plastic cup as I expected.
The problem is, the fruit soup I bought can serve 3-4 portions. Meanwhile I just broke the fast alone. It definitely won't run out.
A little confused, I returned to the boarding house carrying a very jumbo portion of fruit soup. While wondering to myself, how to spend it, huh?
However, it seems there is a hidden message behind the jumbo fruit soup that I bought. When I arrived at the boarding house, I saw that my boarding house neighbors on the right and left of my room had also just come home, in their hands there were several plastic bags of takjil.
I then took the initiative to invite them to break the fast together by offering fruit soup to eat together. They apparently also bought a lot of takjil and could eat it for a group.
That afternoon, my boarding house neighbors and I shared many experiences about living abroad. We told each other about our difficulties and promised to help each other.
Who would have thought, fruit soup could be a way to strengthen relationships with people around me.
Yasmin