We’re All Just Walking Each Other Home

By Jennifer Kelleher

For months, I carried a fear quietly inside of me.

It wasn’t always loud or dramatic. Most days it lived beneath the surface– a subtle uneasiness that followed me around, even when I wasn’t consciously thinking about it. I kept going. I stayed productive. I showed up. And all the while, I told myself I could handle it on my own.

But what I didn’t realize at first was that keeping everything inside wasn’t helping me solve anything. In fact, it was doing the opposite. The longer I held it in, the bigger the fear became. It started to feel heavier, more tangled, more overwhelming. I kept trying to reason with it in my own head, replaying scenarios, searching for clarity, hoping that time alone would fix it.

It didn’t.

Eventually, I reached a breaking point– not because the fear itself exploded, but because I couldn’t carry it quietly anymore. Something in me knew that continuing this way wasn’t sustainable. And so, for the first time, I did the thing I had been most afraid to do.

I shared what was going on inside with a trusted loved one.

That, it turns out, was my first real fear– the fear of being judged. The fear of being misunderstood. The fear that if I spoke my truth out loud, it would somehow change how I was seen or loved. That fear is a powerful silencer. It convinces us to keep our struggles neatly packed away, and to present only the parts of ourselves that feel acceptable.

But what met me on the other side of that vulnerability surprised me completely.

My fears and challenges were met with full acceptance. With care. With steady, unwavering support. There was not an ounce of judgment, only presence and compassion. And in that moment, something shifted immediately.

It felt as if the true me, compressed and packed down for months, was suddenly allowed to expand again. Simply speaking what had been living inside of me began to dissolve both the fear itself and the challenges tied to it. I felt lighter. Clearer. Free.

And I knew, deeply, that every­thing was going to be okay.

This experience reminded me of something we so often forget: fear thrives in isolation, but it softens in connection.

So many of us believe we need to be strong enough to handle everything alone. We internalize the idea that asking for support is a weakness, when in reality it’s often the bravest thing we can do. When we keep fear locked inside, it grows louder and more distorted. When we let it be seen, by someone safe, it often loses its grip.

Fear’s job is to protect us, but it isn’t always accurate. It convinces us that vulnerability is dangerous and that silence is safer. Yet time and time again, healing happens when we allow ourselves to be witnessed.

We are not meant to carry everything alone. As Ram Dass famously said, “We’re all just walking each other home.” Sometimes all it takes is letting someone walk beside us for a moment– to listen, to hold space, and to remind us that we don’t have to do this by ourselves.

If you’re carrying a fear right now, especially one you’ve been holding quietly, I invite you to consider who it might feel safe to share it with. You don’t need to have it all figured out before you speak. Often, clarity comes through connection, not before it.

And if you’d like a place to breathe, move, reconnect with yourself, and connect with others, I invite you to come practice with us at Ocean Bliss Yoga. Our community is built on presence, support, and shared humanity. Reach out anytime if you have questions, we’re always here. Discover our schedule at oceanblissyoga.net. Call or text me at 917-318-1168.