Pilgrimage of a Lifetime

This Saturday marks the start of my journey to Mecca. Why on Earth am I going you ask? Well, this time of year marks the Hajj for Muslims...a pilgrimage to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. If one has the financial and physical means of going, they should take advantage of the time. And this is the time for me and my husband. I'm done with school and work has granted me time off during our busy season in the PICU. So with Has, the in-laws, A&Z, and K&S we are embarking on a journey that we will all remember.

I've been doing some research over the past year...a little here, a little there in between those study breaks and before bed on Sunday nights. I have to say that I am emotional, excited, and a little scared. The videos we have been watching are truly amazing, emotional, and moving! I wish everyone can experience what we are about to encounter! Just to see millions of people from all over the world come together in one place during one time of the year for the same purpose is so incredibly moving!

I'll be keeping a journal along the way...so I'm warning you now of any "Tanookie" moments that should arise in a foreign country where I do not speak the language!

So as a part of my religious obligation, I have to ask those of you who know me to forgive me of any wrongdoing that I may have committed. What ill feelings I may have caused over the years, I do sincerely apologize. I ask for forgiveness so that when traveling to Mecca, there are no unresolved issues and feelings when I return.

Kamran, forgive me...I stole your picture from your blog site. I thought it did a good job capturing the essense of Hajj. This is a picture of the Great Mosque in Mecca. The Kabbah (the black cube) in the center is the 1st house built by Adam and rebuilt again by the prophet Abraham and his son Ishmail. For years, Muslims pray in a certain "direction" that is intangible...this direction is toward the Kabbah. Now this direction will be seen and felt in person. You can see the concentric rows that fill the entire mosque and even flows out into the streets!

For more info:
-click on this link HAJJ (try doing the virtual Hajj for a concise understanding)
-then watch "The Greatest Trip on Earth" series

Wish us well and I will keep you in my prayers...