I was as prepared as I’ve ever been, and this Ramadan was as physically and mentally smooth as any I’ve experienced.  In this life, I still have work to do it seems.  I’m excited to start working out again and putting meat on my bones.  I’m excited to finish the last script I was working on, and bringing my full energy during the daylight hours again to everything I’m committed to.  I’m excited and looking forward to interacting with many of you.

I appreciate everyone who gave me my personal space, but let me take a moment to thank everyone who hasn’t seen me in the past month and sent me a text, a DM, a call, and the like to make sure I was alright. This is usually my most serious time of the year obviously, but I’m human. It’s nice to be missed, it’s nice to be appreciated.

One regret I have (which will be corrected the rest of the way) is that in my absence I should have turned you on to others who post through Ramadan (and all throughout the year).  Many different colors and lifestyles and attitudes; beyond the obvious, the only connection you can probably make between these people is that often I’ll look at them, then look in the mirror and say to myself, “I need to do more, I’m not doing enough.”   Amanda Saab, Husain and Hamza Abdullah, dream hampton, Dawud Walid, Brother Ali, Lupe Fiasco, Murtaza Hussain, Keith Ellison, Khalil Muhammad.  For you young people, I’ll throw Zayn Malik in there.  Those are few ‘famous’ names; like most of you I get inspired the most by the people in my community you probably haven’t heard of. Yet.

I’m thankful for those of you who tried to change me, so I could easily identify, in the short term and the long term, the compromises I’m comfortable making, and where I draw the lines.

I’m thankful for those of you who have always accepted me as I am, even when I didn’t always recognize it, and when I didn’t always fully accept myself.

All Praise is due to Allah, only the mistakes have been mine.

Eid Mubarak to the Muslim Community around the world!

Let’s finish this.