The steps I take

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As I place my foot on the ground to take the next step in my life, I do so knowing that it is I and I alone that decide the direction and speed of travel. I take on board all of the advice and opinions of those that love and care for me. I have absorbed the known impact of my footprint on the surrounding landscape of people's lives, and I look back at my past footprints to see if my new path is indeed a new one or just the same mistakes I've made in the past. My steps can have a wonderful impact on those around me, filling lives with light and splendour. Sometimes the impact of my steps can be disastrous, crushing the souls of those unfortunate enough to be around me, I hope they can find a way to forgive me. As each step passes I am sometimes wise enough to look carefully backwards but sometimes the speed of my forward movement takes me by surprise and it's all I can do to stay upright. Sometimes I falter prior to taking a step, sometimes my steps are so hasty that I trip over the previous step. But each step is mine, and mine alone to take. The people that love and care for me often warn me that I may trip, I heed their words and sometimes act on them, but sometimes I know best. The people that say they love and care for me also warn me, and it's often difficult to distinguish between those that say they love and care for me and those that really do love and care for me. Complex decisions make each step and none are taken lightly, often the justification for each step is hard or impossible to find. Steps can't be missed out, each step has it's place in the path, and in order to reach a new step I must have taken the previous ones, in the right order. Looking forward to where the path will lead is not possible due to the complexity of the journey. It's not possible to determine the length of the path or the number of steps to get to the end. The path may be long, there is no hurry and each step I take means it's one less I will have the opportunity to enjoy, or change. It doesn't matter whether the vision is of a giant carefully placing his steps or whether the vision is of a toddler taking her first steps - the importance lies in the taking of steps, moving forward and trying to do your best to ensure that each step is placed carefully, but also in knowing that steps need to be taken. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland By Lewis Caroll `Cheshire Puss,' she began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider. `Come, it's pleased so far,' thought Alice, and she went on. `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' `That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat. `I don't much care where--' said Alice. `Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat. `--so long as I get SOMEWHERE,' Alice added as an explanation. `Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.'