TRUST WITHOUT RESERVATION

The terms ‘faith’ and ‘trust’ are often used interchangeably. However, there exists a thin line of difference between them. In the words of Dr. Vijayam Ravi, Academic Director, HEMA Foundation, faith is ‘invisible trust.’ Faith refers to a sense of belief or conviction from within, regardless of external evidence or proof. While trust is the beginning stage towards ‘faith.’ Faith is ‘trust without reservation,’ meaning one doesn’t need any empirical evidence for its existence. The greatest instance of ‘trust without reservation’ is of a mother holding an infant in her hands. Even though the baby can’t see her mother’s hands, he still firmly believes that he will not fall. Thus, it is this ‘trust without reservation’ that helps him survive and grow into a faithful adult.

Academically, faith can be instilled by teachers in students via different channels. The following article explores the integration of faith through academic subjects like Science, Maths, and English.

? In Science, the force of attraction towards the field of the earth is termed ‘gravity.’ Even though the pull is not visible, one for sure knows it’s there. The revolution of the planets around the Sun and the pull of waves towards the Moon in the case of tides are all instances of gravity between different objects. The degree of force or gravity between different objects differs.?Thus, the force of gravity is an ‘invisible force’ acting on an object. Similarly, the faith one has between relationships is like the force of gravity. It may not show up all the time, it may not be the same between objects, and it need not be highlighted all the time, but it’s there. It happens regardless of our control or awareness. Dr. Vijayam Ravi says It’s important to have trust without verification. And trust without verification is always equal to faith.

? In Mathematics, a ‘line’ is a segment connecting two dots. An ‘angle’ is formed when two straight lines join at a particular dimension. Different lines and angles come together to form a ‘house.’ Have you ever wondered, what will happen if one line is pulled away from the structure of the house? The house will cease to serve its purpose of providing security to its members. Furthermore, the house can be metaphorically viewed as a society and different lines and segments can be viewed as ‘beliefs of faith’ that add security to the society. In a society where individuals from diverse economic, social, and religious backgrounds coexist, there is something invisible that holds them together.?Thus, faith is the invisible structure that holds people, cultures, and institutions together.

?In English, just a small full stop (.) decides the course of the conversation. It is also referred to as ‘period’ in North American English, signifying the end of the sentence. For instance, consider the declarative sentence: “I am happy.” The ‘dot’ refers to the end of the sentence, there is no doubt in the expression of happiness. The small dot is equivalent to faith. It is the end of the road, one doesn't have to think beyond that. This will reinforce the understanding that faith is something that doesn't always need verification. It is a conviction, belief, or trust always there within them.

A beautiful anecdote by Swami Vivekakanda highlights a conversation between God and his devotee. A bhakt having sheer devotion and faith in his God sees two footprints in every space he walks through. It was as if, the almighty moves everywhere with him. To his surprise, whenever comes a time of distress, sorrow, or pain, he only sees one pair of footprints. In his annoyance, he asks God, “Why do you leave me in bad times, why is there only one pair of footprints when I go through difficult times?” To which he replies, “you are mistaken my son, those footprints are not yours but mine because, in your bad times, I hold you up with my arms, so that you don't get hurt.”

“Let the faith keep you safe.”