Certainly Elsa has gone on—is still on—an emotional journey of her own, and this kind of figurative journey can be just as, if not more, difficult than a physical one. In Act One, she describes how she has learned that trust, not love, is "the really big word." It is, ultimately, the betrayal of trust that is most painful to her, and she feels that David has done this. Elsa expected him to choose her over his wife, and she was wrong. Then, she terminated her pregnancy, rendering herself quite alone; she even says, "I put an abrupt and violent end to the first real consequence my life has ever had." It is as though she no longer trusts herself either.

In the end, Elsa finds that she envies the poor woman with the baby to whom she gave a ride and some money because that woman at least has her child. She envies Helen because Pastor Marius is in love with her, and the two do seem to share a sincere depth of emotion for one another. Elsa is terribly angered by Helen's lie initially, viewing it as another act of betrayal, another trust broken, but her stronger desire to protect Helen, to protect everything that Helen and Mecca represent, wins the day. It seems that, in this moment, she may begin to trust herself again too. Her emotional journey back to being willing to trust, even after she's been hurt, is the final optimistic note of the play and shows that she can leave her pain behind and try again.

Elsa's literal journey to Helen Martins's in New Bethesda is also a figurative one. On her way to visit her aging friend she has given a ride to a desperate African woman, who has lost her husband and home and now carries her child on her back. This encounter serves as a reminder to Elsa of her own personal and emotional losses from which she tries to move forward. Like Helen she, too, is on the road to Mecca because she seeks peace and answers to her own chaos.

In a similar fashion to her aging friend Helen, Elsa Barlow is on a journey to self-realization, hoping to find fulfillment in her life. After Pastor Marius departs, Elsa and Helen have a heart-to-heart talk and Elsa reveals that she is at the end of a relationship with a married man, who has returned to his wife. Sadly, when the relationship ended, Elsa learned she was pregnant, so she terminated this pregnancy in order to end all connection with the man, and to punish herself. But, now she fears commitment to anyone and is not so sure of her feelings.

After picking up the woman and daughter, Elsa questions her decision to terminate her pregnancy and is pessimistic about the direction in which her life is going. She has directed her frustration at Helen because she needs Helen to remain a strong role model on the new road which she must travel. Yet, Helen has needs for her own solace. She tells Elsa,

I can't say that I'm not frightened anymore. But at the same time I think I can say that I understand something now.
The road to my Mecca was one I had to travel alone....I was wrong to think I could banish darkness.

Elsa must also face the darkness of what she has done and no longer be frightened of the future. She must begin anew just as the African woman will start anew, and seek self-fulfillment and freedom just as Helen has done.