Walking Alone?

This morning, during my walk, I caught myself drifting deep into thought. When I finally snapped out of it, I noticed something: everyone else around me was walking with someone, and I was walking alone.

A few months ago, that realization would’ve felt heavy. I would’ve taken it as a negative sign and let my thoughts spiral until they ruined my whole day. But now, it makes sense. Where I am in life, I’m learning to see things differently.

I’m the type of person who can strike up a conversation with a stranger sometimes, and other times, I just want to stay quiet and let people enjoy their own rhythm. By the time I hit mile two, I noticed a woman walking alone, wearing a weighted vest. I decided to ask her where she got it from, and that small question opened the door to a full conversation. She shared her life with me like we had been friends forever. I didn’t mind—I’ve been a listening ear for a lot of people in my life. I got a few words in here and there, but mostly, I just let her go.

From that encounter, I realized two things: first, that small gestures—like asking a simple question—can open doors we don’t expect. And second, even if I thought I was just listening, maybe I gave her a moment of connection, a space to share her heart, that she needed that day. That’s the beauty of life’s small moments—they can be life-changing, for both the giver and the receiver.

In that moment, I felt like God answered me. It was as if He was gently reminding me that being alone for a while isn’t a bad thing—and that I’m never truly alone. Sometimes, we just need to accept where we are in life, no matter how lonely it may feel. What we think we want may not be what we truly need.

Isolation can be a good thing if we know how to handle it. It has the power to refine us, to sharpen our focus, and to set our feet on the path we’re meant to be on. And sometimes, what looks like a small shift—a walk, a question, a moment of awareness—is really God giving us a life-changing reminder.

Have you ever had a moment where walking alone—or being alone—taught you something you couldn’t have learned otherwise?

-ToniRay