One winter morning many years ago, I left my apartment to walk to the bus stop. I was surprised to see a lineup of idling cars on my normally quiet side street. At the intersection, I saw the reason for the unexpected traffic jam; an older man was trying to cross the street and was stuck. There was a ridge of snow, maybe six inches high, in the middle of the road, and he couldn’t step over it. He would lift his foot and put it down, time and time again. That little snowbank had him stymied.
I’m not sure what neurological condition he was afflicted with, but it was clear from his stooped posture and shaky movements that something was wrong. He was stuck, and his awareness of the growing line of impatient drivers at the intersection wasn’t helping his efforts to step over that little barrier.
Two Small Miracles
As I walked toward the intersection, I witnessed a small miracle. A young man approached the disabled man and took him by the arm. That little bit of support, moral and physical, was all that he needed. He stepped right over the snowbank and made it to the far sidewalk. The young man then went on his way.
But the little drama wasn’t over. The older man was moving now, but very slowly. The bus stop was no more than thirty feet away, but the bus was approaching quickly. He certainly wasn’t going to cover that distance in time to catch it.
Another young man approached the disabled man, asked him a question, and then hurried back to the bus stop as the bus pulled up. He dumped his gym bag authoritatively on the floor of the bus and said to the driver, “Wait just a minute, this gentleman wants to get on.” He ran back and gave the slower man his arm. It was impressive how much more quickly the man could walk when somebody was walking beside him. They climbed on the bus together, and we proceeded downtown.
It warmed my heart on that cold winter day to see two strangers reach out in such a simple way to help someone with very complex needs.
Walking With Me Made a Difference
In one way or another, we are all like that disabled man. There are times in everyone’s life when we are weak and infirm, and come across barriers too high for our weary steps. The path we walk can seem difficult, even insurmountable, and yet we must take each step for ourselves. No one can walk the road for us. But they can walk beside us, and what a difference that makes!
More people than I can count have walked with me through the hardest times in my life. They have hugged me, clasped my hand, brought meals for my family, listened without judgment, and several of them have actually gone for walks with me.
I will mention just one. Laura Mark had been my visiting teacher for seven years when I lost a baby in the second trimester of pregnancy. The medical issues went on for a few weeks; the grief lasted for years. I realized that God had put Laura in my life for a very specific reason, because she had experienced a similar loss when her first son was stillborn. Her empathy was a powerful force that helped me heal during those difficult years. She hugged me, she listened, she tended my children. And yes, she took me for walks many, many times during those long months of grieving.
Walking, even on your own, is good psychotherapy; the exercise, the repetitive motion, the sights and sounds of the outdoors, all help soothe a bruised spirit. Walking beside a friend who is sensitive enough to match your mood—one who can speak of simple, everyday things or walk comfortably in silence, and who will listen as you pour out your heart—for me, that’s as good as it gets. I will never forget Laura’s simple acts of service on my behalf.
Small and Simple Things
I have been blessed with loving friends and family members to walk beside me through the difficult parts of my journey through life. In turn, their examples have guided my efforts to help those in my sphere of influence.
So has the example of my Savior. Jesus walked many miles beside his disciples. They were taught and uplifted by His presence. He listened compassionately to two of them on the long road to Emmaus, and their hearts burned within them as he explained the scriptures to them. (Luke 24:13-35).
My aging mother is confined to a long-term care facility and spends many long hours in her bed. I cannot change her circumstances, but I can walk, or in this case, sit beside her, talking with her, watching movies with her, and helping her participate in her ward’s sacrament meeting on Zoom. I know my visits brighten her days. What surprises me is how much joy I receive in serving her.
Our Savior said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40). It is my blessing and my responsibility to serve my brothers and sisters throughout my life. When I feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of their needs, it helps to remember that I do not have to make the journey for them. My calling is to journey with them.
I have seen the simple actions that are within my capacity to offer make a big difference. Elder Dieter F Uchtdorf said of service:
“It doesn’t require something grand or complicated.
We can do simple things.
Like praying for someone with all our heart.
Giving a sincere compliment.
Helping someone feel welcome, respected, valued, and loved.
Sharing a favorite scripture and what it means to us.
Or even just by listening” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2024, 68-69).
When you see someone struggling on their journey, do as Jesus did. Walk beside them, and their steps will be a little lighter, their path a little easier. You may even sense, like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, the presence of a third companion. Your Savior will cover the distance with you. With Him along, you cannot fail to reach journey’s end.