Faith...
I sometimes wonder what role my faith has played in my life and how it has shaped me as a person. Being born and raised under the Catholic religion has definitely had an impact on me as an individual. I admit that I have at times straddled the line that separates religion and atheism and have lived life with one step outside of the bounds of the Catholic teachings. Doing so has taught me some invaluable lessons that I feel are shielded under the protective armour of the Catholic faith.

For most of my life up, I grew up going to church almost everyday with parents who followed the beliefs and teachings of the church to the core. We were raised to believe in the goodness of people and the sacrifices that were put forth to provide us with the opportunities to live a better life and to give back to those in need. Respect, love, trust, honesty, and humbleness are only a few things that we were taught to live life by. And I am thankful to my parents and my faith for building this foundation that molded me in to who I have become. At the same time, we lived life solely within the confines of the walls that the church has built -- we become so immersed in trying to become "good" people that we overlook what the real world is really like outside of these walls. If each and every one of us followed the teachings of Christ, would teh world really be a better place? Would it make everyone love and respect each other more? Would it solve some of the major issues we see today like sex, drugs, and alcoholism. Maybe, maybe not. There were days where I felt like I was stuck within these walls and that I couldn't move beyond them to explore all the other things on the outside. It was only after I moved away for college that I had the freedom to see what else was out there. I tip-toed my way through 4 years of college pretty cautiously, exploring a little bit here and there, but never too far away from this metaphoric house that I built. It wasn't until I met one of the most defining people who have come in to my life that I really learned to open up and let go of some of the fears and trepidations that reigned on me. He taught me to be strong and confident and to not give a shit about the things that shouldn't matter. He was my best friend....I really miss him. It was our own mistakes and pride that tore us apart...but that is for another day, another dose of the daily disposition....

I will always have my faith behind me as it will be a part of my future. Only, this time I will continue to keep one foot outside in the realm of realism....