Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.
Helen Keller
In an evolving world, the word faith has come to assume different meanings, venturing out of its traditional, religious nuance. For some, it may still mean clinging on to their belief in God or a divine plan, while for others, faith is just a more sophisticated term for hope. Regardless of what it means, faith gives us a reason to be positive about things when there seems none; it is what keeps us going in the face of adversity. Simply put, faith is a guiding light for someone who has lost their way.
Probably the best thing about faith is that it is not just motivated by and born out of hardships. Even an act of kindness or a word of motivation by someone else may sometimes suffice to reignite the belief in a person. For example, how many times has coming across a generous man help a poor kid, or seeing your benevolent neighbor feed a stray animal brightened your day and rekindled your belief in humanity? That is why when you help a person, you are not just helping them, but also the several others who may find an unexpected inspiration in your gesture.
It is both surprising and comforting to know that sometimes something as irrational as belief is enough to help one see out an enduring, difficult phase in life. At times, it may even resurrect our self-belief to enable us to work out a solution to our problems. And that in itself is a testimony to the power of our mind: nothing is truly over until we think it is; nothing is lost until we keep hoping and trying.
Having lost her sight and hearing to an early childhood illness, Helen Adams Keller, popularly known as just Helen Keller, is one of the biggest examples of what difference faith can make to our lives. The globally renowned author, disability rights advocate and political activist once commented: “Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.”