I like to read what Anne Lamott thinks. She and I often seem to be at odds on matters religious, but our philosophies about life align rather well. The difference, of course, is that she seems to live the philosophies, whereas I only wish I could measure up to them.
Last night, in the process of searching for something completely unrelated, I stumbled on to one of her Facebook posts in which she comments about a presentation she gave at the Arborlawn United Methodist Church in Fort Worth. Coincidentally, a friend and former employee works there as communications director (he does their newsletters, website, etc.) . He and I differ on matters religious, too, but we are friends nonetheless.
As I read what she wrote, I thought it coincidental that one of her comments echoed a comment another friend made about a post on this blog not long ago. My friend, commenting in an email about my September 4 Thoughts for the Day, quoted a Mary Guthier tune: Ain’t about the money, ain’t about who’s right or wrong. We’re all just walking each other home.
Anne Lamott’s comment in her November 2013 post was “Ram Dass said he thought that when it was all said and done, we’re all just walking each other home. That’s the meaning, I think. That’s the big picture.” She was answering a woman’s question about “what is the big picture?”
I think Ram Dass, and Anne Lamot and Mary Guthier and my friend all got it right.