Honoring Shakir : Excerpt from
“Drawing a Day in the Life of Hennepin HealthCare”
Musings by patient and family member Anita White.
Honoring Shakir
2 years ago I went down to the hospital kitchen to draw the staff there.
It was an ordinary day on the calendar in May 2018
but also time out of time as it was the holy month of Ramadan.
(Those who observe Ramadan fast from dawn to dusk
breaking their fast at night with a special meal.)
I found a good spot to draw near the big shiny kitchen table.
Shakir stood across from me smiling,
wearing his beard net.
Surrounded by food all day, he was fasting for Ramadan.
As I drew him he cut brownies and philosophized:
“I am fasting for Ramadan, it’s so good for me.
What can you do (to make things better?”)
“I feel so much compassion.”
The strength and sweetness of his words remain with me
as once again it is Ramadan.
