Their entire world

As a group of firends in my once “hometown” all grabbed hands for a prayer around the table of Mexican food, and with my presence also mentioned, I recognized that the beliefs of their world, their lives, are complete in themselves, however little serious I view them. Sincere, but inherited and passively received, and continued. That I do not “go to church” is perhaps sad, but they do not know that I’ve devoted five decades to studying religion, theology, philosophy, history,… I smile participating in the prayer, but watching them with their heads bowed, eyes closed.