The Way Back Home

by Courtney Peppernell

The end of my life will come one day, as will yours. There is no escaping this; life happens and then it’s over. But these are the things I hope I’ve done well along the way: I hope I have loved myself in a way that I have loved others, in earnest and with devotion and compassion. I hope I have gone all in, no stone unturned, mountain unclimbed, trail not blazed—and my way too. I hope I have understood the value in good people around me, how precious that is, how important it is to cultivate such relationships. I hope I have picked up the phone more than ignoring it; I hope I have realized that fear and anxiety are nothing to be ashamed of, that these are the things that hold so many of us back, but they cannot conquer us. I hope I have reminded people of their potential, that I have not brought others down. I hope I have inspired people to grow, to know their heart, to come home and be found. I hope I have lived adventurously, even if life can be unpredictable and we don’t always know what is around the bend. I hope, through it all, I’ve been someone to lean on—that I’ve been a good friend.