Just Walk Beside Me

My parents and I went to Cracker Barrel for dinner tonight.

As we walked to our table, I noticed that the host was talking but I had no idea what he was saying. When I rounded the table to get to my seat, I heard “pork chops” and “specials” and “we’re asking everyone to be reminded of our chicken and dumplings” but none of it made sense to me.

Once we were seated and began waiting for our food, my parents and I began to notice just how enthusiastic the host was about his job. My dad watched him waving his arms and speaking excitedly to the woman behind me who wasn’t paying him any attention. My mom and I watched him escort five parties of people to their tables, happily talking the entire way. The thing is: just like he did with us, the host walked in front of the guests, aiming his voice forward, so that no one but the people already seated could hear anything he was saying. But he didn’t care. He was completely oblivious to the fact that his talent for and happiness with his job was causing him to over-function and do his job ineffectively.

…

Many years ago, when we were in college, my best friend and I came to an impasse in our friendship. My ability to love and care for my friends was causing me to over-function and be an ineffective friend.

During this impasse, I went on a mountain retreat with my campus ministry group; my best friend went as well. I remember the retreat well because we found ourselves staying in a rustic mountain cabin with no electricity…and the cabin was surrounded by absolute mountain beauty—including a mountain stream.

On Saturday afternoon, as we sat on a rock overlooking the stream, my best friend and I talked out our differences and moved forward from our impasse. Sometime later, I wrote:

On a rock in the woods up in the mountains sit two children of God
They look below them and see peaceful waters flowing over the rocks and down the hill.
The astronaut [my best friend] cried, “Please don’t walk in front of me,”
The zookeeper [me] cried, “Please not behind,”
“Won’t you just walk beside me and be my friend so that together we’ll sink or swim?”

….

Loving God of heaven and earth,
We praise your holy name.
We pray for your love and peace to live through us on earth,
Just as love and peace exist untainted in your eternity.
We pray that we will know the difference between wants and needs and that our needs will be met.
We pray that your Spirit will guide us to know where and how to share our abundance.
Forgive us, God, when we mess up:
When we walk ahead,
When we walk behind,
When we say too much,
When we don’t say enough,
Forgive us, God we pray,
And give us compassion to forgive ourselves and to have the courage to forgive those who have hurt us.
Keep our minds and hearts pure, and help and protect us as we seek to live lives of unity and grace that honor you.
For you are God and we are not, and all praise, glory, and worship belong to you,
Forever and ever and always,
Let it be so.
Please let it be so.
Amen.