Neglected holiday

I'm an international studies major. I love travel, reading about other cultures and religions, talking to people from other cultures and religions, etc. That's why I like living in a diverse country like America. If you think about it, it's amazing that we live in a country where we can go out and eat kosher, Tibetan or vegan foods just as easily as we can access a McDonald's. We live in a country where we can find a church, a mosque, a synagogue, a Hindu temple and a Buddhist monastery co-existing peacefully within five miles of each other. \nBecause of this great deal of cultural diversity, there's a certain level of religious tolerance and understanding. Christmas and Easter aren't the only holidays printed on the calendar anymore. I have a calendar which marks Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashana and the Hindu holiday Diwali. \nBut I'm Muslim. And none of my holidays are marked on any calendar. \nThere is no precise number as to how many Muslims live in the United States today, but the 2001 World Almanac states there are 5.8 million Muslim-Americans. Though that's not a huge percentage of the population, it is a significant number of people. \nSignificant enough to warrant a few words on a calendar. \nWednesday was the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. Based on the lunar Islamic calendar, Ramadan starts about 10 days earlier every year. During this month, Muslims fast; they do not eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset. In addition to the required five daily prayers, many go to the mosque for additional special prayers at night, called Tarawih. At the end of the month, there is a celebration known as Eid-ul-Fitr, on which special prayer services are held, charity is given and people celebrate with their families and other community members. \nIt's not a very complex thing to understand, and with 5.8 million people in the country participating in it some way or another, it's surprising how many people know nothing about it. \nWhen offered food during Ramadan by a non-Muslim, I tell them, "No, I can't eat because of Ramadan." I am often given a puzzled look, and I have to explain what it is. We have no markings on any calendar; schoolchildren are not taught about Ramadan as they are taught about Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. It's little things like those that determine whether or not people are aware of a religion and its customs. \nBut I am hopeful that there is progress being made in the way of understanding Islamic holidays. In 2001, the U.S. Postal Service finally issued a postage stamp for Eid-ul-Fitr into its existing religious tradition stamp collection. Though it might seem small, it was the first step to integrating Islamic holidays into public awareness. \nMaybe my children will grow up seeing Ramadan marked on a calendar and learning about Eid-ul-Fitr right along with Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa in their kindergarten classroom. \nAt least, I hope.