I grew up at an address that literally had only one way in and one way out by car.  The only way to go each day was by the same private drive that led to the one road away from the lake to anywhere else in the world you might want to go.  The physical location of my childhood home may be part of the reason I forget today that I can go to and from my current home by a variety of roads.

I was reminded of that tonight as I was making my way home from an amazing lecture by Dr. Amy Jill Levine at The Temple on the other side of town.  (To be inspired and perhaps learn a bunch, check out her latest book:  Short Stories by Jesus.)  For the third week in a row after incredible insights from Dr. Levine, I took a different route.  And to shake things up even more, I decided tonight was the night I would try to figure out what probably is the quickest and most direct shortcut.  When I got to a particular road, I didn’t go the way I typically would from that point.  I kept going forward to discover another way that road A connects with road B.  I did okay, until I got to Hill Road and went left instead of right.  Around the neighborhood I was sent; when if I would have turned right, the route would have been a bit more direct.  “Make a mental note,” I told myself.  “When you get to that point on the road, turn the opposite direction from home (something that seemed counter-intuitive) and you’ll be going the more direct way.”

How often do we get caught in the trap that only one way exists to get home?  And I don’t just mean the path we take to and from work each day.  Nor am I referring to home only as a destination (e.g. like where I live, or our final union with the Divine that some call heaven).  Home is a set of relationships too.  The people who hold safe space for us to be most fully ourselves and cherish exactly who we are no matter what.  How many different ways are there in this world for us all to get to those kinds of homes?  I’m guessing there’s as many ways home as there is of us.

I needed the tangible reminder tonight.

Some routes might be the tried and true ones.

Some routes allow one to keep away from all the congestion.

Some routes can be quicker.  Others more direct.

Some are already fully known; while others have to be figured out all along the way.

Some are just to enjoy the ride — to make life a little bit better in the living of it.

However you need to get there, may we all safely arrive HOME.

Peace, Love, and Joy on our journeys!

RevJule