12-30-2010, 10:05 PM
"Remember my son, although the Light may dim and at times our path may become unclear, the Light has never abandoned us. It means it is time for us to have faith in our own sight, time to walk the path ourselves, time to -prove- that we are true followers of the Light by walking it's path even when it does not show to guide us along it."
I remember my father saying this, just a few days before his death. I cannot say I took his words to heart, for when my Light dimmed I did not follow the path I once had. I went astray and formed my own path. For quite awhile I was lost in the dark forest of the world around me, trying to find the Light that had once shown me the way on this dark and rugged path. I couldn't find it.
As I began to believe I was lost and my path had brought me to a canyon I could never cross, I saw something in the forest. At first it was a dim shimmering, then it was about as bright as a candle, then a torch. I had seen the shimmering before but I had, despite my better judgement, ignored it. I couldn't ignore it now, it was as if something was calling me to it. As I walked towards the Light it grew brighter and brighter, it was almost blinding. I reached out to touch the Light and...all was bright once more. I saw infront of me a bright, paved, path. Being there on it felt familiar, as if I had been there before.
I looked behind me, and I saw something. A small dirt path that branched off from it and went in the direction I had been. I had gone almost nowhere when I left the path I had once walked. For some reason the Light that guided me had not forgotten my leaving it, and it still welcomed me back. I shook my head and looked ahead of me. Although I could not see the end of the path, I will still walk it. I know there will come a time when this Light will dim once more, and I know I may want to leave this path. I will do what I can to continue walking this path, whether it is easy, rugged, paved or sloped. I will take my father's words to heart and do what I can to follow this path. Now, after so many years, I think it's about time I took my first steps on this path.