This year, my friends and I took a brief break from reality and headed down to Puerto Rico. I must admit that I didn’t have the slightest inclination to study anything over our (much too short) break and wasn’t even convinced I’d get much further in my exploration of Judaism either. But the warm weather and sandy beaches delivered me a much needed reminder that religion, unlike other subjects, is not just how the textbooks and research guides describe it.

Peace and God can be found anywhere as long as you’re in the right mindset. Naturally, I didn’t spend the entirety of my spring break in solitude. Instead, I was able to take a break from the books and focus on the more spiritual aspect of Judaism. No matter how much information that you accumulate, there isn’t a book out there that can truly tell you how you’re supposed to speak to God. An important aspect of any religion is the ability to feel that natural connection and so it seemed appropriate to spend an entire week doing exactly that.

Each morning, before anyone else was awake, I’d go and take a long walk on the beach. For once I wasn’t plugged into some electronic device and I didn’t have any company to distract me. It was just myself, the feel of sand beneath my feet, the sound of the waves crashing against the sand and the opportunity to talk to God. Although I’ve been able to feel a connection before, I found that out here in the open air with nothing to distract me, the connection felt more realistic. As I would walk back to the hotel, I’d experience this overwhelming feeling of calm and happiness. Outside of shul, away from school and daily desires my conversations became less about asking for something or believing that I was making a connection simply because of my surroundings. Instead I felt as though my mind was just having a natural conversation about hopes, fears and dreams.

Sometimes the everyday rituals of life make religion seem so complicated when really the strength of your faith can come down to that moment on the beach when it’s just you and God. Spring break was refreshing for me, not only because I wasn’t in school, but also because it provided me with the reminder that it’s necessary and perfectly acceptable to practice one’s religion in the simplest of ways.