A few years ago, I embarked on a journey—a deeply personal and spiritual quest to find God. Spoiler alert: I didn’t succeed. As a lawyer, admitting failure isn’t easy. But what I discovered along the way was far more enlightening than I could have imagined. This journey unraveled the profound beauty in our shared humanity and taught me something transformative about our differences.
A Childhood of Contrasts
I grew up in America, the daughter of Indian parents who followed a minority religion called Jainism—a path of strict principles and philosophies unknown to most outside India. To add to this unique mix, my parents decided to send my sister and me to Catholic school, where we were the only non-white, non-Catholic students.
At school, I learned about a Supreme Being responsible for everything—from the creation of the universe to our moral guidance. At home, Jainism taught me something entirely different: that divinity lies within each of us, and that our life’s purpose is to achieve godlike perfection by shedding bad karma.
Layer on top of that Jainism’s principle of non-absolutism—the belief that no single person can claim ownership of absolute truth—and you can imagine the complexity of navigating these contrasting worldviews as a child. By my twenties, I was a spiritual drifter, part of a growing demographic labeled the “Nones”—those who check “none” when asked about their religious affiliation.
Finding My Place Among the “Nones”
In 2014, there were 56 million Nones in the U.S., making us one of the fastest-growing groups. Surprisingly, many of us are deeply spiritual; 68% believe in a higher power. We just don’t know who or what that might be.
Realizing this gave me solace—I wasn’t alone. But it also left me restless. If so many of us are searching and unsure, perhaps finding God wouldn’t be as simple as I had hoped.
So, I took a different path. Instead of exploring the well-trodden corridors of big religions, I ventured into the spiritual fringe—places brimming with mystery, wonder, and unconventional beliefs.
A Journey Through the Spiritual Fringe
From the witch’s potluck in New York City to a Peruvian shaman’s volcanic water, my quest took me to unexpected places. I:
- Hugged a saint at a convention center.
- Chanted in a sweat lodge on Mexican beaches.
- Called “God” from a phone booth at Burning Man.
- Worked with mediums, including one who suggested I cut back on carbs (thanks, universe).
One particularly memorable experience involved a man named John of God—a Brazilian faith healer who claimed to channel saints and perform surgery without anesthesia. People could present him with three wishes, and he’d set to work. Curious and open-minded, I decided to visit.
Three Wishes for the Soul
Before my trip, I offered to carry the wishes of others to John of God. To my surprise, my inbox overflowed with requests—not just from friends, but from strangers, coworkers, and even my coffee shop barista. They asked me to deliver their deepest desires to a man they'd never met.
As I reviewed their emails, I noticed something remarkable. Almost everyone asked for the same three things:
- Good Health – for themselves and their families.
- Happiness – a deep, lasting joy.
- Love – the kind of soul-stirring connection that stays forever.
No one asked for riches or answers to life’s big existential questions. Instead, they sought the simplest yet most profound human needs.
The Universality of Our Desires
Reflecting on those wishes, I found a profound truth: at our core, we are all the same. Across religions, cultures, and belief systems, what we truly desire are universal. Health, happiness, and love bind us together as humans.
Even in a world fractured by division—racial, religious, political—we are united in our shared humanity.
What I Found Instead of God
While my journey didn’t lead me to God, it led me to something equally meaningful: the realization that our differences, though real, pale in comparison to our similarities. We are all seekers of the same joys, driven by the same hopes, and yearning for the same connections.
In the end, we are not as divided as we might think. Beneath the surface lies a shared essence—one that transcends all barriers.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re religious, spiritual, or somewhere in between, this quest is a reminder to pause and look beyond the labels that define us. The next time you encounter someone who seems different, remember: their deepest wishes may be the same as yours.
Let’s focus on what unites us, not what separates us.
After all, in the vast tapestry of existence, we are all threads of the same fabric.
