I recently watched a horror movie.
There’s a scene where, when the lights are on, nothing is there—but the moment you switch them off, a figure appears. Switch the lights on again, and it’s gone. Switch them off once more, and it’s closer. Eventually, it’s right in front of you.
Somehow, this sequence lodged itself deep inside my head.
Nextday, I had to wake up early, so I slept separately in my pooja-cum-study room, something I usually do (because i keep snoozing alarm which wakes everybody except me )
But switching off the lights felt terrifying. I kept them on, scared to even close my eyes. Sleep eventually came, but the fear didn’t leave.
From then on, every time I switch off a light, I instinctively look over my shoulder—half expecting to see or feel something behind me.
A few days later, while casually chatting, I mentioned this fear to my co-sister. She asked a simple question:
“You still sleep in your pooja room, right?”
I nodded.
She paused and asked, “Even then?”
I proudly thought I’m a devotee of Shri Ram. I pray daily and believe in Him—or so I thought. I also believed that since I pray to Shri Ram, Hanuman will always be there (where there is Ram, there is Hanuman). But that one question questioned all my faith and exposed something uncomfortable -
This isn’t really about a horror movie,
If someone believes in God but is scared to try something new—
a relationship,
an interview,
a career move,
even waiting for results—
then what exactly is that faith doing?
Is faith in god meant only for rituals, incense, and well-lit rooms?
Because real life rarely comes with certainty or guarantees.
I’m beginning to feel that when fear controls our actions, faith becomes just a label.
But maybe faith that never gets questioned isn’t faith at all.
What do you think?
