A few years ago I hiked across England with my sister. There were some tough moments along the trail, what with general fatigue, and my aching blisters. However, whenever I would reach my tolerance limit or thought I might collapse or give up the effort, I would look down at my sister's feet as she walked ahead of me. I would lock my gaze onto her boots, and focus on that steady, constant motion of her solidly and surely placing one foot in front of the other, over and over again. It was like a meditation mantra, and would soothe and comfort me as somehow and from somewhere inside of me I would gather up strength to continue.
This morning, as I did my four mile walk/jog routine around Chestnut Hill, for a brief moment I was reminded of my sister's footsteps, and how I would walk in them, literally and figuratively, to get through the hike. I wondered, almost out loud: have I always walked in my siblings' footsteps? Planting one foot in front of the other, solidly, steadily, constantly, and with assurance, that even when life's journey was tough, somehow, and from somewhere inside of us, we would always find the strength to continue.
A year ago at Mining Nuggets: Allowing dreams to soar
Just today I was thinking about the influence my sister has had on many aspects of my life. Perhaps because we are now geographically closer, talking on the phone more frequently, or we are making a commitment to bridge the years of being so far apart, I am noticing many ways I am my sister's sister. She was the one that blazed the trail for my parents who were learning how to raise a child and I came along then able to walk down a well marked trail. I see it's
complicated to lead and sometimes in life, more complicated to follow!
Posted by: Marion Barnett | January 17, 2010 at 11:35 PM