After nine weeks in Chautauqua (CHQ), I came home for two weeks to spend time with my family and do some school shopping. I'm in a completely different world, but that's a good thing because the magic of CHQ is wasted if I don't carry my transformation with me after I leave the grounds. Here's a short attempt at capturing my experience at Chautauqua in 300 words for an article. The link is at the end. Check it out to read the reflections of the rest of my team!
Being at Chautauqua has been intellectually and spiritually empowering. Because there is so much going on, each moment is precious. It is incredible to take in the ballet, pick the brains of distinguished speakers, stroll along lush grass, experience a breathtaking sunset reflected on the lake, and hear the stories of open-minded people I once thought of as strangers. The weeks spent here gave me a chance to take this community for granted and then to realize its majesty all over again.
As a Muslim coordinator for APYA, I had an easier time navigating Chautauqua than most folks. The Interfaith Lectures, social hours, various dinners and religious services changed my perception of individuals, groups and the insider-outsider mentality enhanced my understanding of God — and added dimensions to my spirituality.
One of my most powerful experiences took place at Hurlbut Church. I learned to knit there. I participated in multiple Jewish services for the first time. I co-led a discussion about women and Islam with my fellow Muslim APYA coordinator, which was a powerful, humbling experience. And from time to time, I sat in an empty pew and poured my heart out to God. Hurlbut Church, to me, signifies the exceptional spirit of an interfaith community founded on mutual respect, creativity and generosity that seeks the sacred in the profane.
This summer has been the most instructional, invigorating and uplifting time of my life. Giving something to the warm community at Chautauqua meant that I got a lot more back, from the support and strength I found in my dear APYA coordinators and phenomenal program director Maureen Rovegno to a better understanding of the kind of person I want to be.
I’m not sure what the future holds, but as I’m indebted to Chautauqua, I’ll be looking for ways to spark in others the fire that Chautauqua has ignited in me.I didn't know if I would revert back to the old me when I came into contact with people I knew pre-CHQ. Yesterday, I had an argument with a friend. I usually walk away from arguments with this friend feeling distraught, but this argument was different. In my mind I heard Eboo Patel telling me that it's a waste of energy to argue with someone who isn't willing to listen. (He might not use those exact words.) So I ended the conversation, and life was good.
CHQ has also changed my interaction with people at grocery stores. When I was little, I hated all kinds of shopping, including grocery shopping. I was just so bored following my mom around for three hours. It turns out I don't mind it much when I'm not following anyone. I also like to find a flavor of yogurt I've never tried. The ones I pick are never as good as Key Lime Pie or Choco Mousse, which is unfortunate. One thing that I've noticed at grocery stores especially is my new perception of people. The mom with her son checking out backpacks, the young couple considering different brands of orange juice, the man hovering around pinto beans. Each person with her cart has the capacity to love, to fear, and to hope. Each person is part of Creation. Each person is a manifestation of God. And it's a little crippling to suddenly sense the Divine in the form of a man shopping for pinto beans.
From experience I know that with time, I will not be able to retain the awe of feeling sacredness in everyday life. Its meaning and beauty won't waver, but I'll become desensitized to it. And I have no idea what to do about that. I ask others about their faith because their understanding of their beliefs might be commonplace to them, but to me, they could create waves of awe and bring about new ways to see the world. So I ask. The human experience is rich with stories that create awe and bring us closer to each other, closer to the Divine.
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