The Walk

Did you ever have one of those dreams that seemed to go on forever? I had one like that last night. I was walking down an old, side road that I used to walk along as a teenager. I wasn’t quite sure where I was headed, but I felt very determined to get there. Like in many dreams time seemed fluid and people seemed ageless. As I walked along I kept meeting people from both my past and my present. I saw both my Mom and my Grandma who have passed away and was able to give them both one more hug. I ran into many childhood friends and we talked, joked, and laughed just like we were kids again.

Still, I kept walking hoping to reach wherever I was headed. Around every curve, though, there was something new. I saw strangers in need and stopped to help them. I found ancient books and gemstones along the side of the road and shared them with others. I met a smiling, old man who happily shared his life’s wisdom with me and then I lovingly passed it on to young children further down the road. With every few steps it seemed there was a fresh adventure in learning and love. I never did get where I was going and woke up feeling like I had lived a lifetime in a single night. It bothered me for a bit that I never did reach where I was headed but then I realized that this dream was a lot like our years here. Maybe we are not supposed to reach where we are going, at least not in this life. Maybe it is the walk that matters.

As you walk through this life don’t keep your eyes so far down the road that you miss what is right in front of you. Life is a journey of joy. Life is a journey of learning. Life is a journey of love. Take God’s hand then and delight in every step you take. You will meet a lot of wonderful people and go through a lot of interesting experiences. And you might just want to reach out your hand and help up a few hurting hearts who stumble along the way.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella Copyright © 2009 (joecool@wirefire.com) -- submitted by: Joseph Mazzella ]