the error of my thoughts.

Today was a mind opening day.

I woke late and realized I needed to meet Aminat in less than ten minutes time. my stomach churned, I wanted to cancel. I called to tell her my friend who would be teaching us to sew couldn’t make it and therefore I couldn’t either. She picked up with a loud and beautiful HELLO! and I melted. “Hello Aminat, I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

With my integrity half in check I arrived at her house, a small bundle of cloth under my arm and a scarf around my neck. She opened the door on my third knock and I entered a quit apartment. Her husband Omar greeted me with a broad smile, a step away from him lightly ignoring me. “So quiet!” I exclaimed. Their three children were at mudrasah learning the Koran he explained. This was the first time I was alone with the two of them and I was nervous, but strangely relieved. I had taken Omar’s behavior towards me as disatisfaction with me asking his wife to work for me without addressing him and I was hoping for an opportunity to speak with him about CLOTH.

I took the opportunity, addressing them both as we held and discussed the cloth I brought with me. I slid the scarf from my neck to explain a hem we would use and somehow the cloth ended up on my head. “Yes! Good!” They both shouted with smiles,”Hijab, good!” Suddenly it clicked. I was entering into their home, their haven with an uncovered head, I had been for nearly five months. The truth is I had gone back and forth in my mind whether or not to cover my head.  Whether or not it was ok for me, a non-Muslim. I really wanted to, but felt self-conscious. They made me feel welcome without it, but it was clearly evident that by covering my head not only was it accepted, but it made them happy and comfortable with me in a way that had not been present before. I now felt I had truly entered their home and I melted into the warmth and comfort of the new discovery.

I melted even more when Omar and Aminat pulled out the sewing machine found at the Goodwill and started sewing. This entire month I was under the impression Aminat could not sew. Part of this frame of mind was built on misunderstanding through translation. Another, I am sure, came from an ignorance I carried. I was ashamed and embarrassed to realize the error of my thoughts. But honestly, more than anything, I was relieved that the realization occurred. I learn best when I am humbled and I went away from their home lighter in many ways than when I entered.

-Oona. 1/17/10