POSITIVE drug-free birth stories please?

hello everyone! I'm ~37 wks pregnant with my first and i am very, very, very, very, very committed to giving birth without an epidural for various personal and spiritual reasons.

in case it needs to be said: i DO NOT judge women who choose the epidural, i just know that it is not the right choice for me. the problem is, anyone who i share this with tells me i won't be able to do it or that i am wrong or crazy. i would rather not get into the specific reasons of why i do not want one, as some of them really are deeply personal, but i was really hoping that i could get some encouragement from people who managed what i keep hearing is an impossible feat. all i hear are horror stories, and "i could NEVER have managed without one, you just wait!!!" and it's starting to make me afraid. i could really use some positivity and encouragement, or even some advice if you have it!

FWIW, as spiritual as i am, i am also pro-science and giving birth in the hospital in case something goes wrong, but plan to labor at home with a doula for as long as i can before going in.

EDIT: I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all of these responses. I have read every single one and screenshotted many of them to go back over. It means more than you know, thank you all so much again for sharing your stories and tips with me