There are those of us who absolutely believe in God; some of us do not; while the rest of us probably float somewhere in between on the spectrum. The honest truth is that whether we are a believer, atheist, or find ourselves somewhere in the middle, we are all on a unique journey to find the answers that matter most in our lives.

Each of us are living a life that has never happened before and will never occur again. Think about the magnitude of that for a moment. There will never be a life like yours again. So the unique experiences, environments, interactions and personality traits that define who we are will also have a direct impact on what we do or do not believe religiously.

Then there are questions that cannot be answered but we are told to take on faith. For some of us that is a simple task, but for others, nearly impossible. Add in experiences where tragedy strikes your life or circumstances beyond your control wreak havoc on your existence, and what you might unearth are questions that can strengthen or loosen the fabric of what you believe. But no matter what happens in any given moment or period of time, our unique journeys continue.

How did your experiences shape your religious beliefs when you were 18? Did your life experiences over the next 18 years strengthen or lessen your resolve? Have you lost faith? Found faith? Redemtion?

Read Eighteen to Thirty-Six by Bruce Petillo, available on Amazon Kindle,Barnes & Noble Nook and Apple iBooks.