Once
upon a time, there was a young woman named Sarah
who lived in the village below the Mountain of the
Golden Footprints.
~~*~~
She was feeling very sad and depressed. Nothing or no
one could make her happy. She had been very unhappy
and depressed for a long time. What is the use of
going on, she asked? Nothing anyone said seemed to
make a difference.
*~~~~*
Her best friend went to visit Sarah and told her the
story of the Mountain of the Golden Footprints. It is
a special place whereas the sun sets you can look out
over the city and see sparkling golden footprints on
the places and people where you have made a
difference. But I haven't made any difference in
anyone's life, she said. There won't be any golden
footprints for me to see. So why should I bother to go
here?
~~*~~
But, said her friend, If you don't see any golden
footprints, there is a special village on the other
side of the mountain. That is a place for all those
people who haven't made a difference. It is
comfortable and very pretty and there you can be
happy. So you see, you have other options besides not
going on with your life. If you went to the village on
the other side of the mountain, I would miss you, but
it would be better than your not being alive. You have
nothing to lose.
*~~~~*
So Sarah decided to give it a try. After all, she only
wanted to do something. She could not go on the way
she was. Besides, although she was sure she would not
see any golden footprints, she had a little glimmer of
hope that going there would make a difference in her
life. The village on the other side of the mountain
also sounded like it could be a place where she could
be happy.
~~*~~
She walked up the path to the top of the Mountain of
the Golden Footprints. It was a long walk and
sometimes very difficult, but she had made the
decision to go to the top and continued on, although
sometimes she just wanted to stop climbing and curl up
and cease to exist. She reached the top and came to
the lookout point. She was greeted by a woman called
Faith who watched over the Mountain of the Golden
Footprints.
*~~~~*
Sarah sat on a rock at the top of the mountain and
looked out over her village far below. Although the
sun was not setting yet, she felt inside as though she
were looking out over her life. She could see her
house and the house of her friend, the house of her
parents, her school, and many places from her
childhood. She remembered many things as she looked
out over these places, some sad and some happy. And as
she was thinking about her life, the sun began to set.
~~*~~
She did not really pay any attention since she did not
expect to see any golden footprints. But soon a golden
twinkling light began to appear in the park in the
middle of the village. She did not still believe it
could possibly be a Golden Footprint. Look, Faith said
excitedly, there is your first Golden Footprint!"
*~~~~*
But how could that be, asked Sarah? I don't ever
remember anything I did in the park that could have
possibly made a difference.
~~*~~
That is my department, answered Faith. I have watched
people make Golden Footprints from this mountain top
for many years. I remember all the Golden Footprints
happenings. One day a long time ago, when you were a
little child, you went laughing through the park.
There was a man sitting there who had just left his
wife and child over a silly argument. He heard your
laughter and missed his child so much that he returned
to this family and lived with them happily ever after.
*~~~~*
Well, that was kind of accidental. I certainly didn't
know I had done that, said Sarah. As she finished
speaking, another golden sparkling footprint appeared
on the house of her friend. Well, you have loved your
friend very much. Remember when she was very sick? You
went to see her and brought her flowers and stayed
with her and talked many hours and you held her hand.
If you had not done that, she would not have survived.
~~*~~
But how could that be, asked Sarah? I'm not a doctor.
I do not give medicine. How could I have saved her
life? The doctor gave her good medicine, but you gave
her hope. You gave her strength and courage, so that
her body could make the medicine work.
*~~~~*
And as she finished speaking, the valley below was
aglow with Golden Footprints. There was one on the
school where her smile and love for learning had
inspired a fellow student to stay in school and become
a great philosopher. There was one over a tree that
she had planted in the yard of her house, and one over
the flowers that she had planted. There was one over
the place where her stubbornness had convinced the
King that the village needed a smoother road for
travelers, and he had smiled at her outspokenness and
feisty nature.
~~*~~
There was a footprint right on top of the roof of her
house. That was where she had taken her children one
night to watch the stars. There was one over the pub
in the village. There was where she had met her
husband and where they had fallen in love.
*~~~~*
I had forgotten all those things, said Sarah. I was so
depressed that I only remembered the sad things and
not the good things. I guess I have made a difference.
And you will in the future said Faith. There are stars
to show your grandchildren and a birthday to share
with your friend. And your husband needs a romantic
evening at the pub.
~~*~~
Sarah sat for a long time until the sun had set and
the Golden Footprints disappeared and the lights of
the village were lit in the streets and homes below
and flickered, not as Golden Footprints, but as tiny
footprints of fireflies. Soon Sarah would start the
climb down the mountain, guided by the tiny lights
below.
*~~~~*
Sarah smiled and thanked Faith. She started on her way
down the mountain and knew that someday she would tell
others about the Mountain of the Golden Footprints and
make a difference in their lives too.
~~*~~
Always remember you DO make a difference to many
people whose lives you touch every single day . . .
including me. Always remember ME... you have made a
footprint on my heart, you truly have.
*~~ Author Unknown ~~*
Please click on HOLY SPIRIT above for my index page....... Dede
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