This quote, “We’re all just walking each other home.” I’ve been thinking about it, searching to understand it, learn from it.

A lady I follow on Instagram posted the quote and shared, “Such a great reminder that we need each other. Are you surrounded by a community that reminds you who you are, that supports you and loves you, that you support and love?” 

Then, I was reading Beginner’s Pluck and the title of the last chapter is “Walk One Another Home.” She says, “We’re all just walking each other home. Sometimes we are in seasons of giving. Other in times of receiving. Usually some of both. Always just walking one another home.” She tells a story of traveling to Ethiopia by herself then getting incredibly sick upon her arrival and not knowing anyone other than the owner of the guest room she was staying in. He takes her to the hospital, stay with her through her treatment, returns her to the guest house, pays for everything, brings her food.  She said when she left, she wrote him a thank you note and put some money in it and slid it under his office door. He sent her an email that said, “Liz, I was sad that you left your money in order to settle your debts. I thought you are my good friend and so no need to bother to pay at all.” She says, “Here I was trying to settle the bill, make it right and get myself back up to ‘even’ when all he wanted to do was walk me home.”

In Jesus Calling it says, “Sometimes My children hesitate to receive My good gifts with open hand. Feelings of false guilt creep in, telling them they don’t deserve to be so richly blessed. This is nonsense-thinking because no one deserves anything from Me. My kingdom is not about earning and deserving; it’s about believing and receiving.” 

I’ve also been thinking about being open-handed, willing to accept whatever happens. I think we do the best we can with what we know each moment. Sometimes things work out the way we plan or think they should. Other times nothing works out or totally unexpected things happen. I want to live with my hands open to give and receive whatever comes my way. I do not want to live clinch fisted, white knuckling things to make them go the way I think they should, trying to manipulate things to get the results I want. I have found life to be so much more enjoyable when I am open not closed off.

I’m not saying this is easy to do. We must practice being open. Practice accepting what is. Being at “home” in ourselves. Okay with who we are and how we are made and what we do or do not do. Believing in ourselves. Receiving whatever God allows in our life. Being loving and supporting of ourselves, gracious and kind to ourselves, and to others. As we become “whole” trusting in God’s love for us, we come to the place of being at home in ourselves and able to help walk others home as well.

Are you at home in yourself?

Who is walking you home?

Who are you walking home?

May we walk with intention and awareness! 

Amen.