The Long Journey from not Eating to Fasting

  21. Encourage the family:
      It will help and create a helpful environment if we encourage our family members to join in the plan of attaining Taqwa in the month of Ramadan. As appropriate, we may choose what things to do together and what to do individually. Each (doing things together or individually) have their own benefits.
  22. Being aware of showing off:
      We need to be very careful not to show off in doing any of our acts of worship. For instance, if we find that a prayer feels more enjoyable when we are doing it in front of others then that means we are really enjoying the show off element of it rather than the prayer. If we do something, which is apparently for God, but in reality, it is to show off, whether fully or partially, we are only using the name of God as an excuse to serve our own ego.  
  23. Aiming to have a real Eid:
      We will and we should Insha’Allah celebrate Eid because that is when Muslims (who are healthy enough to do so) have managed to follow their Lord’s instruction to fast during the month of Ramadan. However, on a personal level, Eid is complete when we manage to meet the objective of this month, that is, to be able to jump on a higher level of Taqwa. By the end of the month if we were successful in eliminating those weaknesses we selected to work on (as in point 4) and if we have managed to throw them out of our system for good then we will have a very good reason (on a personal level) to celebrate the Eid.
The above points are by no means the only things that we may do to get the most out of the month of Ramadan.  Obviously, every individual has his/her own ways of improving his/her Taqwa as well.
May the Lord help us to value the month of Ramadan the way it deserves and to follow the path of His best servants during this month.
It is narrated from the Prophet (pbuh):
The one who does not leave false (bad) talk and deed (in the month of Ramadan), (should know that) God does not need him to leave his food and drink.”  -Bukhari, 1903    (End)
  Courtesy of Column Foreign Afairs