belief
A belief is the tiny torch that illuminates the maze called reality, yet often blinds its bearer to alternative paths. It serves as a comforting mantle against doubt and a rigid cage before others' views. Everyone proclaims their creeds with the solemnity of saints, while their foundations tremble like sandcastles. The more one believes, the more obstinate one becomes; the more one doubts, the more capricious one feels. A delicate balance between salvation and ruin, belief is ultimately the most versatile of self-hypnosis devices.