It just occurred to me that the only way we get through this life is with constant leaps of faith.

Every morning we get up, toss the covers away from our body and trust that we'll survive the day. It is our "faith" that is up for grabs while we contemplate what comes next. My faith seems to waver in a series of what-ifs depending on changing events or circumstances. What if things go terribly wrong? Yep, sometimes they do. Sometimes we learn what we should do differently. The strength in our convictions is derived from our personality, maturity, history and experience, yet we can't always depend on those things. Taking risks means we have faith that in case we're wrong, we can handle the fallout.

A religious faith is different from a secular faith that relies on experience, logic, science or playing the odds.

A book I'm reading tells of parents who brought their children up in a divergent household in which one parent was a "progressive" Catholic and the other became an atheist. It was heartbreaking to grasp the pain of a wife who witnesses her husband falling out of his religious faith. It turns out many couples go through this very thing without fully contemplating the repercussions. Mixed marriages in this regard are challenging, especially while raising children. Although kids are often resilient, sometimes they are confused and place their faith in unhealthy endeavors, to their detriment.

For me, on any given day I place my faith in God, while other days I simply wing it. The human condition makes me fickle — it is definitely a weakness. I've never been one to trust blind faith, however, my mind will race as I scramble for solid ground.

Do I depend at least on a secular faith? Every time while driving down the freeway, I use faith that I won't get into an accident. Every time my daughter is out late with friends, I rely on faith that she'll come home safely. While eating a nice meal, I depend on faith that the food is not contaminated. When out with friends and family, I have faith that I won't catch an illness.

The realization that faith and our belief systems play an enormous role in our lives is an exceptional gift, and a curse. Rising above the worries is a skill that needs continual practice and rehearsals for gaining confidence. Having blind faith without preparation is foolhardy, so faith in yourself or faith in a higher power ultimately is our saving grace. Whether we are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Christian or any other religion, making it through this life requires faith. Hallelujah — or hooray? Either way, let's keep it going and keep up the faith.

Sharon E. Carlson lives in Andover.