Summary Of Acts Of Faith By Eboo Patel

Finding a way in life can be difficult. Following that way can be even more difficult, especially when it goes against someone's origin. In Acts of Faith, Eboo Patel tells his story of what it was like to struggle through finding himself. Patel asks the question of "How can I create a society of religious pluralism?" throughout the book, and raises implications about what our children are being taught in different societies throughout the world.

Eboo Patel describes the challenges of finding his way in life in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. While Patel faced crises of identity later in life, his adolescence was a time for self-discovery on a level any adolescent can relate to. "… identities can shift in an instant. I went from being a

Mine, however, have yet to influence my life or community. Early in Patel's book, he had expounded on his difficulties finding a place in his junior high and high school years. Like Patel and many others, I also found trouble finding a place in my early education. Past junior high, I spent my time as a freshman in high school bouncing around between friend groups, trying to find people with whom I could relate. It was a rough time that included eating alone at lunch, spending my after-school hours at home alone, and struggling to find people who understood me. Like Patel, I had found a safe-haven of sorts. While he had the YMCA, I had joined my school's show choir. This had given me a place where I could be myself while doing the thing that I loved – singing. That group introduced me to my best friend, and to many other good friends. While they may not be the friend group I settled into, they were a good group of people that gave me friendships when I needed it. In the future, especially my first few weeks of college, it's going to be difficult to find a place where I fit in. However, like Patel, I will find a group where I belong and find the people with whom I relate