Coffee and Good Conversations

 It seems that everyone finally comes out from their caves in the evening to enjoy the coolness of the night.  All a sudden every coffee bar suddenly is stuffed to the brim and the walking street is overflowing with people. Sometimes I think, "Where did all these people come from?" In some way it's kind of comforting. Everything feels alive again. Imagine walking down the sheshi (walking street) at 11 o'clock at night: there are hundreds of people talking and laughing over coffee, children riding their scooters, vendors trying to sell sunglasses or watches, Roma on the ground with a piece of cardboard in front of them for people to drop loose change, and an elderly, blind man playing an accordion. The of smell corn being cooked over the fire to be sold and espresso being ground and brewed fills the air. It's really quite an experience.


Tonight I had coffee with a friend. We couldn't have coffee before 8:30 because she was fasting for Ramadan. We got on this conversation of Islam and what the basics are. I've never had an actual Muslim walk me through the simple, core elements of their religion. But tonight I got that privilege. There are five pillars of the Muslim faith that essentially defines if you are a true follower: (1) confess the shahada -- Allah is the one, true God and Muhammad is his messenger, (2) pray five times daily, (3) almgiving -- giving money to charity, (4) fast during Ramadan, and (5) visit Mecca during your lifetime. These things don't necessarily guarantee your entrance into heaven, they just give you a higher chance, or give you "check marks." According to my friend, everything you did in your life (even do the smallest detail) is written in a book -- both good and bad. Ultimately, your "good" must outweigh your "bad." When judgement day comes, if Allah puts your book in your right hand, you may enter heaven. But if he puts it in your left hand, you will perish and enter hell. I asked my friend a fairly personally question: Do you think you will enter heaven when you die? She looked down, shrugged her shoulders and shook her head slightly and said, "I hope so." This is not the first time I have heard or seen someone here express the idea that no one can ever be fully sure if they are going to spend eternity with God. My friend told me that a true "believer" is one who prays five times everyday. Everyone else is just "talking the talk and not walking the walk." She wants to follow in the footsteps of her grandfather, who had the opportunity to visit Mecca. Her parents are not particularly religious. We sat, drank coffee and talked for over an hour and half. I let her do most of the talking. I wanted to understand her better -- what she believes, how she thinks. I wanted to show her that I respect and value her, even if her beliefs are different than mine. At the end of our conversation she said, "You know, I hardly ever talk to anyone about these things -- about religion. My friends...we don't talk about these things. It's been a long time since I talked about what I believe." And for that, I am honored. Sitting over a small cup of macchiato always seems to bring out some of the best conversations.