Footprints

I walk the beach barefoot every morning.  It is my wellness time, my quiet time, my prayer time, and my rejuvenation.  It is something that I need and would miss if I could not do it.  This past week I began to realize how important it is to put your feet in the sand now and then and noticed the various footprints that were left behind.  There were people's footprints, big and small.  There were dog footprints, bird footprints, and there were even marks left from the sea turtles coming in to lay their eggs in the sand.  

I started to think about how healthy I feel when I am breathing the air, soaking up the sun, and feeling the sand between my toes.   In fact, there are health experts who say that walking barefoot on the sand connects us to the beauty of nature.  This, in turn, can help manage stress and can make you feel overall better in many ways.  It can awaken our senses which is relaxing and energizing at the same time.

Seeing footprints in the sand reminded me of how important it is to leave our footprints behind for others to see and be inspired to keep going, keep pushing forward, to endure and survive all that life throws our way.  There will always be times in our lives filled with sorrow, grief, or disappointment, just as there will be joy, peace, and celebration.  Seeing footprints in the sand is a symbol that life keeps moving no matter what, and we are destined to keep moving forward.  

This also reminded me of a famous poem that many of you have heard before.  It was originally written by a woman named Mary Stevenson in 1936 and it goes like this;

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.  Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.  In each scene, I noticed footprints in the sand.  Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there were one set of footprints.  

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow, or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints.  So I said to the Lord, "you promised me, Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always.  But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.  Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied, “The times when you have seen only one set of footprints, is when I carried you.”

There will always be times in our lives where only one set of footprints shows up because we will all need to be carried now and then.  Carried out of sorrow, carried out of pain, carried out of fear or loss.  But if we hold tight to knowing that there is always a light that will shine through the darkness to get us to the other side we will be able to continue our journey to our most blessed and beautifulife.

My affirmation for you this week is;

"I will leave my footprints in the sand and on the hearts of those I am blessed to know.  I will keep walking forward and will cherish all of my blessings from yesterday, today, and tomorrow."