What do you believe in?

I had an interesting and enlightening conversation with my friend Ashlee today. It was refreshing to have an actual, worthwhile conversation with someone outside of the people I see on a day to day basis. We got to talking about our different faiths, and I've known for quite some time that she is a very strong Christian. She is rooted in her beliefs, whereas I have been somewhat swaying back and forth on the subject. I was baptized a Roman Catholic, but I haven't attended Mass since I graduated from high school. I hate attaching labels to anything, but the more I look at the more I would start to label myself as simply a Christian. I've always kept my faith in God and I will never lose that. It's just the fact that after attending private Catholic schools my whole life up until I started going to ICC, everything that they taught me was forced down my throat. I was made to learn that which they told me to. I didn't have a choice in the matter. And now, after being forced the same material years, I have come to several conclusions of my own that may not really fall under the Catholic faith. I believe that there are Catholics who just go to Mass because they are "required" to go, they don't actually want to be there. Then there people who never go to Mass or church service and they are some of the most religious people that you will ever meet in your life. Their faith is so strong that you know God is always present in their lives and that they willing accept Him. I hope one day I'll be able to be like that. I'm striving to be that way. I know I have my faults and I fall off the path from time to time, but I have hope that I will make it out just fine. He is always forgiving, and it's amazing what kind of things can happen if you let God into your life.