When I was a child, I was immersed in Indian culture and the Hindu faith. Though my family does not visit the temple every week, our relationship with God existed and was an important aspect of our lives.

And then, as I grew older, I began to lose that faith. Stories of poverty, human trafficking, destruction and cruelty made me curious as to what force was up there, if any was at all, and what that force was doing.

To say that I’ve lost my faith would be a lie. To say that I regained my faith would also be a lie. As a person, I’ve grown. As a person, my faith hasn’t been regained or completely lost; it has evolved.

I’ve learned to define my relationship with God in my own terms, relying less on religious institutions or books and more on personal conviction and beliefs. Faith, to me, is inherently personal. It is not identical for any two people. When we are dealing with what we cannot see, complexity arises with great vigor.

There was a time in which I identified as an atheist. Now, I know that placing that word on my identity would not be an accurate representation of my beliefs.

When I was a child, there was God. But when I grew older, I was exposed to the world of science. I struggled with the two concepts. Could they coexist? Does one deny the other?

The answer to such controversial questions, at least for me, is: not necessarily. Your faith does not have to be defined by a belief in one particular deity. It does not have to be defined by a lack of science. The two do not have to be mutually exclusive. At least, they are not for me.

I do not want to deny that I have a faith. But what that faith is, is deeply personal. It is private and cherished. I am not denying the beliefs I held in my past, but simply stating how I’ve grown and changed.

Your beliefs, whether atheistic or religious in nature, are valid and personal and your own.

My beliefs and my faith do not define me. They embellish me. They add to my nuance, rather than rob me of my complexity.