footprints II
 A Variation on "Footprints"
 
 Tom Wier
 
 "Imagine in a dream you and the Lord walking down the road
 together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along
 steadily,
 consistently, rarely varying the pace. But your prints are a
 disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds,
circles,
 departures and Returns.
 
 For much of the way it seems to go like this. But gradually, your
 footprints
 come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling His
 consistently.
 You
 and the Lord are walking as true friends. This seems perfect, but
then
 an
 interesting thing happens: your footprints that once etched the
sand
 next
 to
 the Master's are now walking precisely in His steps. Inside His
 larger
 footprints is the small 'sandprint', safely enclosed. You and
the Lord
 are
 becoming one. This goes on for many miles. But gradually you
notice
 another
 change. The footprint inside the larger footprint seems to grow
 larger.
 Eventually it disappears altogether. There is only one set of
 footprints.
 They have become one.
 
 Again, this goes on for a long time. But then something awful
 happens. The
 second set of footprints is back. And this time it seems even
worse.
 Zigzags
 all over the place. Stops. Starts. Deep gashes in the sand. A
 veritable
 mess
 of prints. You're amazed and shocked.
 
 But this is the end of your dream. Now you speak.. 'Lord, I
 understand the
 first
 scene with the zigzags and fits and starts and so on. I was a new
 person,0
 just learning. But You walked On through the storm and helped me
 learn to
 walk
 with You.'
 
 'That is correct.'
 
 'Yes, and when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I
was
 actually
 learning to walk in Your steps. I followed You very closely.'
 
 'Very good. You have understood everything so far.'
 
 'Then the smaller footprints grew and eventually filled in with
 Yours. I
 suppose
 that I was actually growing so much that I was becoming like
You in
 every
 way.'
 
 'Precisely.'
 
 'But this is my question, Lord. Was there a regression or
something?
 The
 footprints went back to two sets, and this time it was worse
than
 the
 first.'
 
 The Lord smiles, then laughs. 'You didn't know?' He says. 'That
was
 when we
 danced'."