If it's called "Fast"ing, why do we slow down?

A good friend of mine posted this question on Facebook in the first week of the Fasting month. Being a newly-converted Muslim, this, in my opinion was a very astute, and arguably fascinating observation.

No eating and no drinking from sun up to sundown. That’s the easy part. Fasting is also supposed to be fasting of the soul. Hence no bitching, hissing or squealing of any kind, and yes guys, no stiffy in the office.

Arguably, any hot blooded male can tell you that when you’re not intentionally looking, that’s when the scenery around you just gets gosh darned better. Everything starts getting tighter, sheerer, curvier. Damn*t, how does one distract himself?

Maybe some surfing time over lunch, just to avoid the receptionist’s tight new kebaya. But your fingers automatically type Katherine Bell, that chick you remembered from your JAG days, and you hit Safe Search Off. Nope, batal puasa.

Okay, Plan B. Some casual catching up on friends in Facebook. When you suddenly find yourself scouring through an old classmate’s “Bali Trip 2009!” album. Abort…abort!

Gotta get the edge off but you can’t smoke.

Gotta tell someone but you’ll only wind up talking about what you ‘could have seen’ and end up debating on the circumference of Kim Karadhsian’s derriere.

Finally, it’s 430pm and you’ve pretty much gone close enough o the edge without letting your eyes and mouse clicking fingers pay the deposit for your reservation in purgatory. Gotta get outta the office. Maybe look for some grub for Buka Puasa at the pasar on the way home.

And if you’ve been to a pretty good pasar Ramadhan, you’ll probably think that’s where the inspiration for R. Kelly’s “bump and grind” came from. Grab a couple of kuehs and you zip right outta there, head down, grasping to whatever inch you have left of your purity.

So guys, fasting doesn’t necessarily mean slowing down what makes us tick. C’mon, you’re no hypocrite. But in true zen-like fashion, you can treat this month as your personal training period to appreciate, hold it in, and move along. And be that kinda guy. A little pervy, but still that kinda guy.

Have a good soul diet and a happy Hari Raya to all our Muslim friends!