By Joseph J. Mazzella
I woke up with a stiff and sore back this morning. This was not unusual since my back has given me problems for years now, but today no amount of stretching or moving would loosen it up. Still, I had 5 dogs waiting patiently by the door to go out for their morning walk, so I slowly bent down, put on their leashes, and started to pull my shoes on. When I did, though, I saw that my shoes like my body were showing signs of wear. A split along the seam of a sole let me know that it wouldn’t be too long before I would have to replace this pair. I only wished I could replace my back along with them. Later after walking the dogs, watching the sunrise, eating breakfast, and talking with God I was feeling a lot better on the inside. My back pain had faded too and my smile had returned. It was then that I remembered a letter a friend had sent me recently. Inside of it she had pasted a delightful picture of an old, worn-out pair of work boots sitting on the ground by a porch. Their leather was cracked, their soles were split, and their laces were worn, but they still looked great because inside of them someone had planted a beautiful bunch of Impatiens. The flowers had grown tall and strong in spite of their curious container. This picture reminded me again that while my body may feel like a worn out pair of shoes at times, inside of it was a soul that continued to grow every day in love, joy, peace, happiness, goodness, and oneness with God. At some point in your life you need to decide who you really are. Are you the body that grows older every day or are you the soul within it that remains forever young? One day the loving spirit within you will have to step out of it’s worn out pair of shoes and walk on without them. May it walk lightly along the path of love until it reaches its Heavenly Home. And may it bless everyone it meets along the way.