The Footprints We Leave

The picture above is one that speaks volumes. This is our high school classmate at his daughter’s graduation from medical school. It is indeed a proud moment for a father to see his daughter following in his footsteps. What makes a daughter want to be a doctor like her dad? The reasons may be many and varied. By the grace of God he must have done something right. Not perfect, but something about him inspired her. He planted a seed somewhere in her heart and mind. Now he has been blessed to see it come to fruition. I pray that we all get to do and see the same in our sphere of influence. Leave an imprint somewhere in this world that will be remembered long after we’re gone. One of the best ways to do this is to pour into someone else. Whether it be children we birthed or someone we parented; those we loved, taught, coached, fed, clothed, housed, encouraged, treated, guided, or protected. May the footprints we leave lead them to hope, believe, flourish, and stand tall amidst life’s challenges.

As we met for our high school reunion a few weeks ago, much of our conversation surrounded ‘ remember when’. As we are all in our fifties, it is evident that most of our allotted time on earth is behind us. This is indeed sobering. We now think about how we want to be remembered. Many of us have made life-changing decisions. Not willing to waste the rest of our days on futile arguments, toxic environments, or squander precious moments on things or people that have nothing to do with our destiny or purpose. Time has made us wiser. Mistakes we’ve made along the way may have cost some of us dearly. We now chalk it up to ‘lessons learned’. Some may have drawn a line in the sand —refusing to go back to certain unhealthy places whether physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally.

We begin to think about the real meaning of life, often times pondering about our souls. As our priorities shift, we commit to be and do better. Equally so, we continue to deposit the best of ourselves in those who are coming behind. We strive to plant seeds of hope, faith, wisdom, and love. We hope that they have learned from both our successes and failures. That they have been equipped with the tenacity and the fight to rise from a fall. We hope that from our lives they discover the art of walking again after a stumble. That they refuse to be defined solely by their missteps. They have the audacity to hope and dream despite their limitations. The boldness to rise above the noise of their enemies. The courage to believe in spite of the naysayers. The strength to show up and play even in pain. As they run this race in their lane, they’ll have the freedom to color outside the lines and think outside the box if needed. Somewhere along this beaten path they’ll discover how to love people and use things, not the opposite. That they too will leave their own footprints in the sands of time as a guide for others coming behind. Above all, they would walk in humility knowing they are nothing without the love of God. In so doing, extend grace and mercy even to those who may deserve their wrath. In this troubled world they would find peace in the arms of our Savior. That they would occupy their ‘seat at the table’ with dignity and class knowing exactly where they belong.

I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
stories we have heard and known…

We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord…

So the next generation might know them—
even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children.
So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.

Psalm 78: 2, 6-7 (NLT)

***Thanks for reading—Choose wisely as someone’s always following your footsteps.