“Faith doesn’t always begin with certainty. Sometimes it starts as a spark, a whisper, or a quiet moment of reflection.

The Charcuterie Board of Faith

Something is stirring in our country. After years of politics dominating our conversation, I sense more and more people turning their attention back toward faith. Some are returning to beliefs they once knew, while others are seeking a sense of faith for the very first time. Yet no matter the starting point, the challenge is often the same: how do you connect with a higher power when it feels distant, unfamiliar, or undefined?

Faith rarely begins with certainty. More often, it starts in quiet and almost invisible ways…..a faint sense of longing, a feeling of trust, or a small spark of openness that nudges us toward something deeper. I first noticed this during Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island. On Sunday mornings, I got to escape to the chapel…. not because of any ritual of mine, but because it was the only place of peace and quiet away from the relentless noise and stress of my drill instructors. I called it my “Sunday morning bomb shelter.” It wasn’t the mass service itself that drew me in….it was the stillness, the rare chance for self-reflection (like what the hell did I get myself into here). That was my first glimpse that faith could be less about ritual or dogma and more about a connection inward.

Faith begins differently for everyone. Some find it in childhood, through church, family or school. Others encounter it later, often in times of crisis, grief, or searching. Sometimes it appears in nature, in a quiet walk through the woods, or a moment of awe at a sunrise. Other times, it comes as a bit of wisdom that sticks because it feels familiar and tastes right, like finding your mothers old recipes.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve spent more time shaping my own flavor of faith. It feels a little like building a charcuterie board (3 different – meats, cheeses, crackers/breads and fuits/nuts) balanced, diverse, and gathered from many corners of life. My board includes bits of Irish wisdom, laws of Karma, and the Quaker belief (“Inner Light”) in a divine light within each of us.

What’s important, I’ve learned, is that we don’t need everything perfectly defined to have faith. Often, it begins as a lingering thought long before it grows into confidence or conviction. And maybe that’s part of the beauty of it: faith can be both deeply personal and universally human, available to anyone willing to pause, listen, and open themselves to something larger than themselves.

In a country where many are returning to faith after becoming disillusioned with politics, I believe you’ll find the search is not always easy, and the path is not always clear. But, if you work your way across the charcuterie board of faith, try to pick the ideas that please your palate, take time to savor each bite, you’ll find faith….. as long as you can stray away from the bologna, nutty parts….