footprint

    Today i post a message to the  forum. The topic brought  to my mind an old touching story i read before.......... 

                                   Footprint

    I like walking by the sea. The tang of the salty sea-breeze; the glow of the gentle ocean sun; the glistening crystals of light across the ocean water; the delightful feeling of sun-warmed sand beneath my naked feet. Yes, I so like walking by the sea. I walk by the sea every day. And today I had a special companion. Today, I walked with my guardian angel.

     My angel was a pleasant companion. For a while, we made idle chit-chat, talking about the weather. Then for a longer while, we were quiet, just sharing in each other’s company as we walked and listened to the rolling waves. We walked and walked and walked. We walked for the longest time. And then my angel paused and said, “my son, we have walked far together. Look behind and see how far we have come”. And so I turned around. I saw in the sand the footprints that had been made by me and my angel. We had certainly walked a long long way.

    Far off in the distance, I saw the smallest of my footprints. These were the prints that I made when I had first started walking. They were small – and so cute! And next to them, I saw the footprints of my father and mother, who had walked with me. And I saw my angel’s footprints right next to mine.

    I saw my footprints getting bigger.I saw the footprints of my first friends, my school teachers, my neighbours. My parents’ footprints walked right next toe me, leading me, guiding me. And they were joined by the small footprints of my sister. And always, I saw my angel’s prints right next to mine.

     I saw my footprints getting even bigger. My parents’ footprints became further away now. Other footprints came closer. Best friends, girl friends, partners and classmates. And always, I saw my angel’s prints right next to mine.

     At one point, I saw the footprints of my life-partner entering my life. Her footprints were so exquisite and so perfectly compatible with my own. When I walked with her, I saw how I walked faster, stronger and with more powerful confident strides. She made me strong. With her walking beside me, the footprints of a boy became the footprints of a man. And all the while, I saw my angel’s prints right next to mine.

     I saw my prints. I saw my every success and failure. I saw my triumphs and defeats. I saw my joy and despair. I looked back and saw every footprint I had ever made. And I was proud.

     But then I looked closely. I had first thought that my angel had always been with me, walking side by side, my eternal companion. But I was wrong. I looked carefully and saw that there were times when there was only one set of foot prints. I saw that these were the times when I was most depressed. These were the times when I was most miserable, when I was lost and lonely, when I felt like I had no love at all. Why? Why in my most troubled times did my angel abandon me?

     My angel read my thoughts. He turned to me, his eyes brimming with the love that only a guardian angel can show, and with his gentle voice he said unto me, “my dear son… those are the times when I carried you”.

     I heard his words. I smiled. I knew he spoke the truth. I continued walking. And I knew, that I would never walk alone.