Faith.
What does it mean to have faith?
Not necessarily to do with religion, it can also be a general secular belief that everything will turn out ok, that things will find a way, that things will work themselves out. Faith can also be in the goodness of other people, and it can also be in yourself.
I think faith is such a beautiful thing, and I love hearing stories about how people come to faith.
Faith can be such a strength in trying circumstances. It can be a life vest, a shining beacon, a sense of calm in seas of turmoil.
All faiths are valid because they come from the same place in the human psyche. No single faith is greater or more valid than another.
I think as humans we need faith because as a species we need to believe in something greater than ourselves. We need purpose and a point to our lives, and I'm not talking about something earth-shaking, it can be simple and down to earth - there often is something extraordinary in the ordinary (an example of a simple yet powerful purpose is a desire to help others).
Faith is hope.
We need faith because life is not easy. It is tough as nails at times, and we need what we can get to pull through. Support from other people is so important, but some people also draw strength from their faith.
Faith is also trust.
Being able to trust is such a fundamental human need. Trust in another person, trust in the big picture of things, trust that you or your higher power's ability to direct your life to where it is meant to be. To not be able to trust is to be in such a terrible place.
For me, I was brought up in a religious faith, but I never fully embraced it. Perhaps you can say I haven't taken that 'leap of faith' as yet, and for now my faith is more secular than religious, and that's ok. Maybe one day it will change, maybe it won't.
Religion used to be a great teacher of morality in times past, but I think that in modern times, this has been replaced by a more general 'barometer of goodness' that isn't attached to any particular religion - you don't have to be a religious person to be a good person. Also, there are certain implications in certain religious teachings that I think conflicts with basic human rights, which I find troubling.
Those issues aside, when it comes to faith, to each their own, because faith is such a personal thing as well.
So share with me your faith because it shows me who you are and what you believe in ;)
