FOOTPRINTS ON THE PIER

 

Although we walked quite early this morning

when we reached the marina it was clear…

people had walked before we did…

they left their footprints on the pier.

 

The only time we see these footprints

is in the early morn…pre-dawn…

because once the warmth of the sun hits the pier

these footprints will be gone.

 

And I had to smile as I found myself

tracing different footprints there and here….

thinking how we cannot judge a person

by their footprints on a pier.

 

We can’t tell if it’s a woman or a man

the color of their skin

their religion

their nationality

if they are gay or straight…or queer,,,

none of these can be determined from their footprints on the pier.

 

The more I walked in other people’s footprints…

footprints in all shapes…big and wide and small…

the more I thought those things we deem important…

really shouldn’t matter much at all.

 

What if all that should matter to us

is that a person is loving and generous and kind…

because ultimately 

won’t we all be judged

by the footprints we leave behind?

 
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