Steps Thus Far

I love the saying “We are all just walking each other home.” What I like about it, is the referencing of walking. Why walking? Because life is a series of steps that leads us to the next chapter. And eventually we will end up at home. The problem is, so many of us are not aware of our steps. We act like there will be endless miles ahead of us. I have seen this scenario play out countless times while working with the dying. It usually comes in the form of a conversation like this. “What do you most remember?” To which their reply is, “That it goes by too fast.” I get it. And I think I got it earlier than most. Point being, when we are young, we aren’t thinking about the later stages of life. But for me, I started working with the dying in my early 20’s. That’s what got me thinking. But it wasn’t until I had been meditating for years, that I truly tapped into that concept.

These past couple of years, I have been keenly aware of just how fast it goes. And for that reason, I try my best to see every moment as sacred. Even the stuff that we would perceive as being bad. Trust me, some of us have been through some truly horrific things. Losing my daughter not too long ago, would fall into the category of horrific. But here’s the thing. As tragic as that was, she finished her walk home. And while I miss her terribly, I rejoice in the fact that the steps we took together, there never was a time when I didn’t tell her I loved her, when she left. That is my point. The steps will end. How aware are we of them while walking?

I’m such a look at the moon and go out in nature guy. Living at the beach for the past 6 years has been a real blessing. My wife and I go to the water several times a week. I was recently asked if I remember my favorite sunset? And I said, “The last one.” Working with the dying and meditating for most of my life, I don’t often think of the past. Nor do I get lost looking into the future. I’m just so thankful for the steps thus far.

I don’t know how or when my journey will end. None of us really do. I’m just happy to be walking. Yes, some days it feels like I’m walking through a fucking storm. But I’m walking. And I know that brighter days are coming. How do I know that? Because that’s what being aware of steps will do. You keep walking until you get to a place of peace. If we treat life as both a meditation and sacred, we will find that life is not about what is good and what is bad. We find that is about connectedness and love. It’s a hard concept to grasp.

Who knows. Maybe I got it all wrong. But that’s the beauty of the steps thus far. I’m not looking for answers. I’m just appreciating the journey. And when the journey is over, I will thank the universe for every single step I took. For me, it really has become that simple.