It is funny to look back at American culture and how I grew up and picture the things that are painted to be "romantic" to everyone: candle lit dinners, sitting by the fire, snowy scenery, taking a walk, ect. However, now that I am gaining a bigger picture to the world (past my American bubble, and really it is a bubble, away from how the rest of the world lives), I am so curious as to how any of those things ever came to be romantic.
Take candles for instance: if you are eating by candlelight, it means you don't have any electricity. Which, for those of you who don't know, means you've had to cook and prepare a meal by candlelight (a very difficult task). What wife would be in a good mood after that? And not only does it mean that, it also means that every other part of your life was difficult: no microwave, washing machine or dryer, electric stove, mixer or blender, computer...you get the picture.
The same for all the others: if you are walking, it means you don't have a car, horse, or bike. If you have to build a fire it means it is frigid outside and you don't have another way to survive, but to sit directly next to the stove. Trust me, none of these things could in any way be romantic!
So, how'd we turn them into romantic things? My thought is that with the age of new and better things, the above mentioned things became unnessesary for living. However, people wanted to preserve them, so they became a special tradition and lost their value. I am pretty sure there is a very small population of people in America that buy candles, firewood, or take a walk because they have to (at least not from my neck of the woods). A candle or a fire are no longer means of survival for the majority.
However, here for me and all the others living here in Kosova, candles, fires, and walking everywhere are a means of sheer survival. That brought me to think about something else: Who is God? To me, here, He is my survival; I couldn't make it through a day without clinging to Him to carry me through. But that wasn't so when I was in The States. I could make it through just fine without spending every hour (maybe even each day) crying out to Him. I had things under my control, and God was often a side piece accenting my day. Maybe even a "romantic" notion. Often He wasn't the essence of my life.
I am living in pretty much the "Bible Belt" (if you will) of Islam in Europe. It reminds me so much of believers back home. They don't know what they believe, why they believe it, or what implications it should have on their life. It is just the romantic thing to do, so they jump on the bandwagon, and so help you if you try to reveal Truth to them or even to try to help them understand their own religion. It is interesting indeed.
We are all very much like sheep, no matter our culture or nationality. We follow the next person even though they might not know where they are going or what they are doing. The root of every culture is the same...We all want answers and to have a purpose in life. However, most people are wanting someone else to do the work for them and just lead them. In America it is currently God that is the romantic ideal. Here is it is Allah. But why? Well, most in either place don't know and don't care to find out. But does anyone really ever step back and try to understand the means to their survival. I know coming here has forced me into that on a deeper level.
How does one do that while remaining in your own culture? Not sure since I am here and discovering this...But my thought: be involved in something outside yourself. Be a part of a God-sized thing that requires an utter dependence upon Him to get accomplished. Learn to make Him your sole way of surviving. And while maybe that sounds like merely a romantic idea, I believe with all my heart that should you choose to ask Him for help in that area...He will reply with a resounding YES.
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