As we grow, life increasingly becomes dependant on externalities that we have no control over. Millions of random, seemingly unconnected, events come together, El-Nino like, to create significant situations that alter our lives, for better or worse. 
Many situations are thrown at our doorstep. Good, bad, squalid, pleasant, morbid, inspiring. In positive situations, we get a warm fuzzy feeling. Positive situations cement our beliefs. We believed in something and it worked. We brim with self-confidence. Henceforth, whenever faced with tumult we hold the remedy in our hands. There is a balm in belief. There is a feverish succour in it. There is the euphoria of conquest in it. Then, life turns a corner and the dark clouds emerge at the horizon. We valiantly fight the darkness armed with the testimony of our belief. Sometimes, the dark clouds are here to stay. As time passes by, doubts surface. Yet we cling desperately to those beliefs. More time passes and we start to question them. Hesitantly at first. Blatantly later. Ultimately, we become unsure of our beliefs. We feel betrayed. We discard them and, disarmed, the dark clouds engulf us as we descend slowly into an abyss of hopelessness.  
Some, like Meerabai, believe in God. Some, like Mother Teresa, believe in “doing good”. Some, like Dalai Lama, believe in love and compassion. A child believes in Santa. Belief alone cannot insulate us against life’s vagaries. It alone cannot guarantee uninterrupted happiness. So what can? Perhaps, the strength of our belief. Maybe, it is not important what we believe in, so long as we vehemently believe in it. Maybe, an unwavering, unquestioned, unflinching, enduring belief can produce the absolute surrender that is the key to happiness.
Maybe we shouldn’t waste time trying to find out if what we believe in is, in fact, true. Whether our belief is right or wrong. Maybe we should just believe. And hold on to that belief like we would hold on to dear life.  If we can do this, if the solid strength of our belief can endure the vagaries of life, the dark clouds may still come, but maybe we will still have a smile in our heart