Holey, Wholly, Holy

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” -Helen Keller

I was in Walmart the other day. They have been renovating this store near me for months now and absolutely everything is NOT where one might expect it! Most of us were wandering around in a daze, hoping for a quick in and out shopping experience and left wondering where in the world they placed the toothpaste.

The most interesting thing happened, though. Walmart is usually a place where I keep my head down and get my shopping list ticked off as quickly as possible, but by being lost, I found myself looking more people in the eye. And the more people I actually saw, the more I was seen as a fellow lost companion. We began helping each other out. “Have you seen the raisins?” asked one woman and I knew the answer to that one! I actually left Walmart with a smile on my face, being reminded that we truly are in this thing called life together – even shopping! That errand would have been such a waste without the support of other shoppers that day.

As I think back on that day and the feeling of connection I sensed in that Walmart, I think of the ways we tend to isolate ourselves when surrounded by people and become swamped by the overpowering sense of aloneness and fear of the world. Ecclesiastes 4 says that “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their hard work. If either should fall, one can pick up the other. But how miserable are those who fall and don’t have a companion to pick them up!”

How often do we have this me-centric understanding of going it alone. And I guess there is a sense of accomplishment when we complete a task on our own. But I have found that looking up and finding those who may also be looking for companionship along this road soothes some longing for connection in my soul.

Where might you benefit from looking up and seeing others around you? Together, we truly can do so much!