Living the Question

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"Community of Light "
by Candee Basford
Copywrite 2005

The Long Walk Home

By Kailene Wells

I wrote The Long Walk Home after working on an assignment for a team meeting. This team had been brought together to try and develop an on-line tutorial for individuals who wanted to create a Child Portfolio. Because Candee Basford and I had facilitated many of these Portfolio sessions involving parents and staff at Donnelsville Elementary School, we were asked to help plan this “masterpiece”. We grappled at the end of our first meeting over what to call this newly generated piece. After brainstorming for over an hour, we still couldn’t come up with a title or even a descriptive word that could encompass (bring to light) the experience. We even resorted to the dictionary, thesaurus and foreign words trying to find the answer. We all went home that night agreeing to write something and work on the title. It was then that I realized what a huge undertaking that we had bestowed upon ourselves in trying to put a title to an experience that to often has been indescribable.

As I started to recall our Portfolio sessions, many similar, wonderful memories from Action Learning groups came to mind too. I realized that these were two paths that wove many common threads, which has taken me on an incredible journey.

When I think of all of the experiences that I have had I started to look at it as a journey with many avenues. It was a journey, often at times so frightening that the first step was often one not easily taken. As my journey progressed and others joined along, the path became so much easier to travel and my load so much easier to bear. This journey was one that was unique to each individual but hauntingly similar to all who joined along. It was a journey that changed my life to the inner core. It made me realize how important family, friends and community really are.

I was inspired to write this poem hoping to capture in words and share with others, the “indescribable journey” that life has taken me on.

The Long Walk Home

The long walk home should never be alone
Especially if we fall
To know you’re there to help me out
If ever I should call.

The journeys long and treacherous
And the path is quite unknown
So come along to share with me
This road that takes us home

We’re discovering that in numbers
It doesn’t seem that bad
And its amazing the things in common
We’re finding that we have

We’ll laugh together endlessly
At memories we recall
Bringing tears, that relieve the fears
Those most often not shown at all

Lets stand together earnestly
And take each other’s hand
And as we walk along this path
We’ll marvel at the land.

Though the footsteps are often dangerous
And at times we’re led astray
But off the beaten path we’ll go
To forge another way

As we walk we’ll share our hopes and dreams
And come to know each other well
As time flies past, our bond will last
As time will surely tell.

But together we will face it all
And keep the other strong
So come with me and together we
Will make the journey home