Religious, Spiritual, or Both?

In many people's eyes religion and spirituality are the same, but are they? As I look back at the family in which I was raised, I'd definitely describe them as religious, but I don't know if they were spiritual. They attended church and met all the criteria in the church to be considered "good Catholics" by attending Mass, confessing sins to the priest on Saturday and receiving Communion on Sunday. They performed the rituals on religious holidays like praying at each of the Stations of the Cross and giving up chocolate for Lent. They said prayers at meals and before going to bed. I could see they subscribed to the Church's dogma. It was evident in their behaviors that were dictated by the Church. But, what about spirituality which happens internally? What was going on inside them? How would I even know if they were spiritual? 

It seems as though we carry our religion on the outside, but spirituality is an internal state of mind and heart. It is not obvious to others at a glance. Spirituality is a quality that is deep within a person. It is a quality that you might see when you watch a person interact with others and conduct themselves on a daily basis. You might hear evidence of it when a person speaks about his philosophy of life, but the words don't make it true. It is not how a person speaks or what he says. The spiritual person feels a connection to a higher source within himself, whether that higher source is called God or goes by another name. 

It is common to hear people describe themselves as "spiritual, but not religious." I think they mean that they believe in a power greater than themselves, but they haven't adopted the rules and/or dogma of a particular church. I'm not sure belief makes a person spiritual. In my eyes it takes more than belief. It involves living a life based on love for all, including the "hard to love" individuals. It means serving others with whatever talents or resources a person has. It means action that comes from a higher self that resides in a place deep within.