It drives me nuts when people say they’re spiritual and not religious Christians or anyone who claims to be any kind of theist, says they’re spiritual and not religious. The implication being that “religion is bad” and “spirituality is good”. Eh? The word “Religion” comes from the Latin word “religio” which means “respect for what is sacred, reverence to a God (god)”. Religio is also said to come from the word “relegare” which means to “bind fast” or “place an obligation on” or “bond between man and a God (god)”. Cicero held that religion also comes from “relegere” which means to “treat carefully”.  Catholic history actually defines religion as the “voluntary submission of oneself to God”. Do you believe in the existence of a higher power? Do you submit to Him? Do you consider yourself bound to Him in any sort of relationship: father-child, master-servant, creator-creature? Do you resolve to live according to His rules, as spelt out in some book or by divine inspiration? Do you work daily at improving your understanding of and relationship with Him? You are …

Sometimes, she lost herself. In the world, and it’s noise. In opinions and perceptions. In work. In the internet and its distractions. In Nigeria and its problems. In gossip. In gist. In caring about things that you’re supposed to care about, or at least act like you do. Because everyone else does. Because some people do. Because it’s the right thing to do: to care about those things. Like I care. Sometimes, she found herself. In books. In art. In laughter, real laughter with friends not mere LOLs. In quiet. In silence. In a dark movie theatre with her head on his shoulder. In prayer. In falling asleep cheek-to-cheek with her sister. In arguing dress patterns with her aunts. In research. In writing. In rain. In fear, fear like she’d never felt before, fear that reminded her she was alive. And then she lost herself. In pain, love and loss. Behind smiles that threatened to split her face. In zeroes. In the knowledge that this, all of this, is vanity and still…we press on, afraid …