We are at the beginning of Ramadan. This is the most holy month in the Calendar of Islam, as it is the lunar month in which God, or Allah, gives the Quran to mankind. The observance of this season of faith asks that healthy adults fast from sunup to sundown. This will instill self discipline, but more importantly in our times, it engenders empathy for those less fortunate. In St. Petersburg, Florida the greater Islamic community is expanding a food drive on this weekend before the fasting begins. It is a great example of a religious philosophy which emphasises the help of one another as fellow human beings. This is a common thread found in great religions. In this time of Coronavirus, a food bank might be seen as symbolic of the more usual breaking of bread together to recognize and manifest our common humanity.

It is sometimes just an undercurrent, and it is sometimes painfully obvious, that there can be tensions between bodies of believers in our world. There is work to do to release these tensions. In The Way To Happiness, L. Ron Hubbard states, "Tolerance is a good cornerstone on which to build human relationships." as part of the discussion of precept 18, "Respect the religious beliefs of others." Respect comes with knowledge and understanding. The best way to understand another person is to listen to them; listen to them with the intention to really understand what that individual is attempting to express. http://www.thewaytohappiness.org#waytohappinesstampa