Walking Together is a Choice


By Brenda Rivas, Communications Manager

Walking Together, there is no better time to be considering the meaning and the importance of such a phrase, than right now. Now, when there is so much division, so much animosity, and so much blame or shame permeating our communities. Everyday images and words of fear, hatred, jealousy, anger, confusion, and so many other negative emotions inundate our inboxes and social media feeds. It makes it so easy to sit there and watch, and eventually we find ourselves affected by it all, even buying into it at times. The more we surround ourselves with these messages, the harder it becomes to ignore them. The harder it becomes to see past them.

But pushing past obstacles and doing the right thing are not always easy. Taking the time to look outside ourselves, to look outside our inner circles of friends and families requires some resolve and some effort. It requires us to consider walking together with those outside of our comfort zones.



As an extreme introvert with plenty of insecurities, I find this to be an extremely difficult task. Being a Latina who grew up in the Northeastern U.S. and currently finding myself in the Midwest in a predominantly Caucasian community, I have had to push past my insecurities and get out of my own way. I’ve visited rural areas in Western Nebraska, where I never imagined I would go. I’ve sat down to discuss my experiences with discrimination and stereotypes with a group of retired pastors I’d never met before. I’ve worshipped with individuals from all over the country and from different parts of the globe, some from different denominations. All of these experiences have pushed me to reach beyond my self-imposed margins, so that I could walk together with others in my new community.

I spent most of my adult years living far away from my childhood home and moving throughout the center of the country. In doing so, I had to push myself to venture into unknown spaces and places. Moving away from the safety of my family and childhood friends helped me to see how much we can learn from walking with those whose backgrounds and life experiences differ greatly from our own. It has helped me to find that when you step closer to someone you never expected to, you can always find something you never knew you shared, no matter how small or mundane it may be. This is what makes walking together such an important part of our lives-  everyday. Living in such a large and populated area, we don’t live on a deserted island or in a void. We live in communities, where we share space, and whether we want to or not, we share our lives with others. Why not make it a joyous experience and choose to walk with a neighbor, a coworker, an ecumenical affiliate, someone in need, or any of the countless individuals that come into our lives. They can be a gift to our lives, a blessing that starts when we open ourselves up to walking together.

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