Faith

During my age of teenage rebellion, my mother said very few words which deterred me in my quest to deify her except for one piece of advice. My mother was controlling and wanted all aspects of my life to live up to her expectations. She had an opinion on everything I did. But when I decided to stop going to Church, she only mentioned this to me and said nothing else on the topic: "It is important to believe in something, even if it is not this."

I was shocked that she had not told me to head straight back into the pew but it also resounded with me. This was more than my mother wanting me to live a better life. This was something she believed with her very soul. And as such, it has lead me on this path, a philosophy major with no semblance of moral code other than the golden rule because in my stumble to discover what I believed in I didn't want to hurt anyone else.

There's something so fundamental about this idea. It's nearly mind boggling yet why should you believe? Because you can't survive otherwise? Because hardship and suffering require belief? If not in a higher being, but even yourself or the kindness of men? Can you simply not believe?