Walk to Jesus

“It’s important to keep your mother active between my home visits,” my mom’s home health nurse told me. “She needs to walk even if it’s just across the room.”

Pulling her wheelchair behind us just in case she got too tired for the next step, I helped Mom take her short afternoon walks across the living room and back. Holding tightly to her walker, Mom looked down at her feet the whole time as though willing them to move. She grew more and more frustrated with each step she attempted and often failed.

“Try picking out something across the room and focus on that instead of your feet,” I suggested.

Mom looked around. “I’ll walk to Jesus!” she said, bobbing her head toward a wall hanging with the word “Jesus” inscribed on it. Still leaning heavily on her walker for support, Mom set her eyes on Jesus. She took a few slow steps. “It’s working!” she said, smiling at me. Whenever her foot faltered, I lightly tapped her hip like the physical therapist had shown me to make her brain think about her leg. Mom gradually made it across the room where she touched the name of Jesus hanging on the wall before turning to go back. She still walked slowly, but with fewer failed steps.

Walk to Jesus became our mantra. When either of us encountered an obstacle in our lives, we would remind the other just to walk to Jesus.