Coming Home

We have almost arrived at Sinai as the counting continues (day 46).

I climbed the mountain believed to be Sinai years ago and remember meeting quite a few characters along the way to a breathtaking summit—a desert expanse that stretched to eternity. As I reflect back, and prepare for our return home after this month of travel, I have been thinking quite a bit about the mountain ascent. Sinai is both a physical meeting point between us and God, and a portable experience of revelation that can occur anywhere.

As the great naturalist John Muir once said: “Going to the mountains is going home.” It’s been so true for me, but not only in the literal sense. Yes, the jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada range, the countless memories of Olympic National Park hikes, bring a unique spark of joy to my soul but there are other climbs that leave an indelible imprint on who we’ve been and who we are becoming. Some of the climbs, like the journey to motherhood and welcoming our two miracles are transformative in the amount of joy that fills our hearts—others begin from a place of trembling fear as we enter through dark forests of peril, seeking the light of healing and hope. Grit and a sense of purpose can help strengthen each step.

The close of this time in England has been a sacred gift for us. We are staying in the countryside with one of my dearest friends from childhood and her lovely family. In addition to the local fairs and the fields, the vibrant flowers, the menagerie of animals and fresh air, we’ve had heartfelt conversations about faith, service, history, family and more. At the core of so much of what we’ve discussed is the question: “Where is home?” In a time when we are experiencing such change and uncertainty in places we call home, in systems and conflicts that feel so deeply broken and painful, home can still be felt when we dedicate ourselves to cultivating some good — to remain open to others and courageously carry on with what we can do to make this world just a bit more compassionate. Perhaps all of life is a process of coming home, never quite there, but in the building and growing and believing we can still find blessings.