IT'S THE SMALL THINGS

Regardless of religion, faith (or having one, rather) is a trait that unites a lot of people. In the same way that the presence of faith gives us strength and the promise of pulling through, its absence, or even the compromise thereof, can also exacerbate situations in which we are being tested. Our faith is perhaps a part of our being that is tested constantly, periodically, throughout our lifetime. In whichever way we choose to imbibe and practice faith is variable, but what is known for sure is that “In faith, there is enough light for those who want to believe, and enough shadows to blind those who do not” (Blaise Pascal).

A couple of months ago, my faith was once again tried and tested. From the tail end of my pregnancy where anxiety hounded me, to the admission of my son to the NICU for 10 days, I was once again faced with the frightful black hole of uncertainty. My mind, it seemed, just kept going down further and further into this tunnel with no end, nor point of return. It was once again a time where there was nothing to cling on to, but faith, and prayer to fuel and strengthen that faith. Seeing my son today, healthy, happy and strong, I now am a believer more than ever that God is truly merciful to those who are faithful.

Faith is interesting trait, or concept, because it is intangible until it is not. It is not something we can hold, or measure, but it most definitely can be attributed to for miracles, answered prayers, and when good things happen. Faith is something that should be practiced – given time and respect to – and not just something we automatically possess when we are in need. In the same way that prayer should not always be about asking, but should also be as much about giving thanks, faith should be present in our daily lives. After all, as the theme song of ‘The Rescuers’ goes, “Always keep a little faith in your pocket, and you’re sure to see the light.”

While faith heals, it will also remain one of those things that science will be unable to explain. Rather, a concept we just believe in that in turn gives us strength, hope and promise. A priest once told me that faith, according to the bible, is trust in God based on evidence, but without total proof. In other words, it is up to us to see the proof, and to believe that faith had a hand in it. After all, “Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe” (Voltaire).