My father was a research scientist and all about proof. My mother was a nun, and her early life was about what can't be proven empirically. Sure, I dabbled in religion after my appendix burst and the doctor told me very somberly, "You were minutes from death." But it was a long time before faith set in. Some may not draw the distinction, but religion is an organized group with certain tenets that gathers for fellowship. Faith is where you actually hang your hat. For me, the journey really started about three years ago, when I realized that there were a few things wrong in my life and I was responsible for a percentage of them. Namely, one hundred percent. Taking ownership of my own life was a real step for me. For decades, I blamed circumstance or fate or others any time life was less than rosy. Personal accountability was both frightening and freeing at the same time. If I had indeed created my life, and it kind of sucked, maybe I could "un-suck" it by taking decisive action. Letting go of grudges and guilt was a big part of that. Read next feature >