Andrew Masuda

Dr. Young

ICS 139W

January 11, 2023

Short Assignment: Writing Assessment

Throughout my life, I have had a weird relationship with religion. I grew up in a

household that has always stayed away from religion. This was because my father despised

going to church when he was younger and didn’t want my brothers and me to go through the

same experience. My grandfather, however, is a devout Christian who has an endless amount of

stories to tell. He told me that he and his ex-wife were involved in a Christian cult and separated

after he wanted to leave and she refused. After escaping, he was threatened and followed by one

of the members for years. As a child, this instilled a fear of religion in me that was only

solidified when my best friend’s mother became religious. Within a couple of months, she

became an entirely new person. While she was more positive and optimistic, I couldn’t help but

feel that her personality was fake. Almost as if she had been brainwashed. So for the majority of

my childhood, I had a pretty closed–minded perspective on religion and never participated in

anything religious or spiritual.

The first time that I would partake in anything spiritual is when I started meditating. Back

in junior college, I reached a low point and I wanted to improve my mental health. I was hesitant

at first because meditation seemed out of character for me and I wasn’t sure if anything would

come out of it. However, I was gladly mistaken. Meditation helped me break bad habits, be

mindful of others, relieve stress and anxiety, and view my life from a better perspective. I started

with guided meditations that taught me breathing techniques and different forms of meditation.
Then I went on my own and tried to meditate for at least twenty minutes every day. Now that I

am in a more positive headspace, I only meditate around three or four times a week.

Meditation has taught me many things, but one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned

is not to fear change. Most people are aware of this, but there is a difference between knowing a

principle and applying it. Before moving to college, I was anxious and had too much on my

mind, but meditating helped me clear my head and realize that everything will be okay. Another

thing that I learned is to focus on what is within my control. Life becomes much easier without

all of the distractions. For me, the most difficult part was to stop overthinking how others feel

about me. From meditation, I’ve become more open to religion and while I will probably remain

non-religious, I can recognize its purpose and benefits. I have no doubt that I would be a

different person without meditation, but I think I prefer this version of myself.