EB-80/8inPA 1,641 #26 Posted January 4, 2022 1 hour ago, ebinmaine said: I can see that assessment as valid. Well, were we ever wrong! And in hindsight, the answer was so obvious, too! Gotta keep working on those guessing skills, I guess. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 62,840 #27 Posted January 5, 2022 @formariz 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,987 #28 Posted January 5, 2022 (edited) It is good to know about other cultures and their customs. Much to be learned from them specially due to the fact that they have been around for thousands of years.I respect all people regardless of what culture, religion or ethnicity. Most times we judge others out of fear, misinformation or plain ignorance. People should be judged by their character and not by their ethnicity or the government that they have. It is good to know about these little things that have a special meaning such as your gift. In 2018 I bought my van, a 2007 Ford E-250. An absolute time capsule looking like just out of the Ford assembly line with only 23,000 miles. It belonged to a Muslim lady that had a small business and only used it to deliver little boxes once in a while. Aside from that it was always parked in a garage. She had on the front and the back of the van a decal which is a "Khamsa' or "the hand of Fatima". Fatima was Mohamed's daughter. It is a very old symbol used in many cultures with slightly different meanings .Essentially it is used as an amulet to detract so called evil eye or spirits. She proceeded to tell me about it, (which I already knew what it was) and asked me if I wouldn't mind leaving on the van since it had protected it all of those years. I am not a superstitious man, and actually also liked the look of it and since it seemed so important to her I promised her that it would stay there.She actually gave me a big hug when i told her that. Those symbols have been a little trouble a few times, even family members pressuring me to remove them. I have been asked a few times out of the blue when I walk out of it if I am a Muslim. Ordinarily I don't take kindly to being asked such a question since to me it does not matter what you are so it shouldn't matter to you what I am.. However I always have answered that particular question leaving people a little puzzled. I happily tell them that I am Christian, but my van is indeed Muslim. Those symbols will be on it as long as I own it. Edited January 5, 2022 by formariz 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EB-80/8inPA 1,641 #29 Posted January 7, 2022 On 1/5/2022 at 6:41 PM, formariz said: Those symbols will be on it as long as I own it. A little protection from the old malocchio couldn’t hurt. Ask most any Italian. Neat symbol. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites