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My 5 year old recently asked me: “What is God?” Then a few days later, someone asked me “what do you believe in”. Before I venture into the whole spiritual side, let’s get the easy ones out of the way first.

I don’t believe in Santa Claus but do believe in the spirit that surrounds this time of year. I don’t believe in sitting and waiting for things to happen, I believe that I have to be in the driver’s seat and do what needs to be done. I don’t believe in wasting time on trivial things, instead I believe in embracing the moment and making the most of what is around me. I don’t believe in using people for my own benefit but rather believe in people and help them strive to their own greatness. I don’t believe that life is a destination to be worked towards and accomplished but rather believe that life is more of a journey with twists and turns that are to be appreciated. I even believe that one day, the Canucks will win the Stanley Cup. I could go on and on.

Those are easy, but what do I believe in from a life, religious or spiritual side? That is a difficult question. Growing up, I was exposed to many different beliefs but never really adopted a religion. I have an affection for history and try to understand faith and what it all means. I am a storyteller by nature and isn’t that what makes up our religious belief? Stories, sagas and journey are the foundations that become the points and morals created. I respect them all and appreciate being in the presence of the faith. I have visited many churches, temples and Holy places. I find comfort and peace in such places and there is a contentedness. I will never refuse to enter a house of worship, I will never refuse to accept an offering when given from the heart, and I will never say that one faith is better or wrong over another. I find that they generally point a moral compass to the path that leads to happiness and fulfillment. Some might say that without having faith, I am lost; however, I have seen people with the compass in hand and not being true to the belief. Who is really lost here? I don’t know if there is a heaven or hell, but we can make our life a heaven or hell based on how we carry ourselves and live our days…it is not in the sky or down below but I believe within us.

For anyone who follows or has a religious belief, it is important to you and you must be true to your faith. It is about how we all fit together as opposed to being superior to one another. I don’t think no one is right. What guides me are moral principles that are already in most Holy Books and Scriptures. It is like reading a self-help book and I am already doing what it says I should. For example, many people said “the book ‘The Secret’ is interesting but Sam, don’t read it as you are already living it.” Don’t get me wrong, I am not better than anyone and don’t feel that religious belief is beneath me. I just believe that I am on a path that is designed for me. I do not know what will happen in the end and nor am I interested to know. I want to live the present and appreciate the past. The future will show itself to me when it is ready.

So to answer “what is God” or “what do I believe”? Well, if we have not been able to answer these questions from the dawn of human kind, I am sure that I can just answer: “Meh, I don’t know!”…and I am totally fine with this  I hope you are too!  For now, I will continue to be the best ‘me’ I can…isn’t that the most important?