In the last post/article the topic of loneliness and being your own best friend raised some very interesting comments. Many people already know what it is to be their own best friend, while some are still struggling with the idea.
Lets look at loneliness and having a best friend, especially during our worst and most vulnerable moments in a different light.
I do remember my grandfather always being my best friend. I could talk and discuss anything with him, and he always had answers to everything. One of those encounters involved me being upset cause something wasn’t going right with some assignment I had taken up in school. When he saw my frustration, he sat with me and asked me what was wrong. I told him in my 15 year old self “Why does this happen to me? Why do I have to take the hardest assignment? No one in my class will help with it cause they are all so busy with their’s!!”..Well, my rant went on. Grandpa heard all of it. Then when I couldn’t rant no more he said..”Let me tell you a little story of a man who was much like you. He was also upset and angry about being left alone during a very important assignment”… Below is that very story-
~FOOTPRINTS~
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with God. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonged to him and the other to God. When the last scene of his life flashed before him. he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him and he questioned God about it, “You said that once I decided to Follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me alone.” God replied, “My precious, precious man, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”
Moral of this story: Youre never ever alone, especially during your most trying times. God is always with you. Even if you cant be your own best friend as yet, make sure to acknowledge the fact that God is your best friend always!
Now its your turn…What are your thoughts on this story my grandpa shared with me? What did you learn from it? Enlighten me…
Note- Just before I was about to hit publish for this post, I googled footprints in the sand and saw that this story was originally written by a Mary Stevenson in 1936 when she was just a little girl. Amazing how the right stories just find its way into our lives if we let them !
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Positive Provocations 
Hi Zeenat, I always loved this story when I was younger and thought it was just a beautiful way to illustrate that we are never alone in times of stress, although it may feel that way sometimes.
It might not be god who picks you up but a friend, a stranger, or a parent – the trick is knowing where to look. When we are younger we can’t look inside ourselves for the help so we have to look externally for help such as our parents. When we get older we have to learn to be self sufficient and pick ourselves up in times of need and crisis.
When we walk in the sand alone there’s always two sets of footprints, one of our own prints and one set from our soul, our soul will always pick us up when needed, if we learn to trust ourselves and our inner strength.
Thanks for the reminder of this story Zeenat.
Hi Zeenat,
I too have always loved this story. It reminds me that even if it feels like we are alone, especially during challenging moments in our lives, we are never fully alone. There is always a Higher Power, there with us on that journey. I think part of it may be opening ourselves up to believe. To believe that there is this Higher Power, God, with us. I take great comfort in that, and in knowing that I am never alone…
Something goes wrong then we grumbled, but may be best for us, here we must apply of this parable.
Hi Zeenat,
I first heard this story when my life was falling apart and it brought so much comfort. Reading this post was a great reminder of that time and how so much has changed since then.
There is a higher power at work at all times and it always looks out for our best interests. It just sometimes has a very interesting way of doing it. 🙂
Ah! this is one of my favorite stories. It reminds me that even though I am not with God, God is always there with me.
My grandmother taught me this message – it was her favorite poem EVER, and now it is mine.
I carry on her passion for sharing the inspiration with others. It’s one of the first things I tell people who are discouraged.
Big hugs!
Michele
HiZ.
I love the comfort of other people, I love other people giving me guidance, but guess what, I am always alone when I am making a choice.
THAT I always have to do alone because nobody can make a choice for me.
I have avoided that for a long time, I wanted people to be with me or even make the choice for me.
Now I know I am alone when I choose BUT when I do that in integrity afterwards there is always support for whatever results my choice created.
THAT is comfort, and those are the footsteps in the sand for me.
xox Wilma
Love Footprints, is a lovely inspiration parable and sometimes does the Trick when we do feel weak, vulnerable and just need some assurance. I belief Gods is with us all the time.. because he love us all.
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Hi Zeenat,
Really appreciate Footprints…..Its very true, u r never alone..alwayz a person with you and he is god….
Very positive footprints… 🙂
Hi Zeenat,
Footprints is one of my all time favorite stories. Every time I read it and get to the end and it says “it was then that I carried you.” I get the chills because I know there have been times in my life where there was only one set of footprints and I, too was being carried by God.
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Hi Z.
Love it and I love the beach so it has evening more meaning. I do believe that God won’t get us out of anything but will get us through everything (if we reach out)!
I know there were two sets of footprints in my parenting years or I would have never made it through. I was so young and so desperate for help, energy and answers I thought of suicide more than once. I never had a plan though. Good thing, eh?
Wonderful, comforting. Thanks.
I just enjoy hearing this story over and over again and it has carried me a great distance in my life. I think God also listens to all our rants when no Grandfathers are there beside us…
Thank you for sharing this post
Dear All,
I Am so so glad you all have connected with this story at some point in your lives. I have read each an every comment of yours and love your thoughts so so much. Due to some personal engagements…i have been a bit offline lately. Hence haven’t been able to respond to each of your comments separately. I apologize for that 😦
I will get to each an every comment hopefully from the next post 🙂
Please remember me in your prayers…i do need them!
Once again my apologies for not replying to all the comments on this post.
Much Love Always~
Z
I am on one set of foot prints in the sand right now….
Zeenat, you have a beautiful blog and this article provoked some thoughts in me.
One is that we are our own best friend when we are quiet enough to drop down below the noise of the ego-mind and tap into our higher nature. In the moment, we naturally experience the joy, peace and happiness that comes from being fully present. This state of presence is when we are closest to our spirit. Spirit or Source is my idea of God, which is the infinite within us and fills the universe.
The term God as it is today is full of dogmatic ideas, rigid beliefs and the ego driven righteousness of many who say they are ministers and followers. In the past many have been killed in the name of God. This term is too loaded for me so I choose in general avoid it. That is just me, you seem free of that baggage in your writing.
Joseph
http://www.explorelifeblog.com
Amiable fill someone in on and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Thank you seeking your information.
Hi Zeenat,
Super postive site!!! I noticed Lance from Jungle of Life posted a comment on this beautiful photo with the footprints in the sand. I have a similar one on a recent post on my new good news, positive thinking site, http://www.goodoodles.com, and he commented on that as well. I guess some of us are really left thinking about the impressions we leave and photos like these beautifully bring that to mind. Don’t stay too long in the same set of prints!! It strikes me that its the trail of prints that suggests growth, purpose in life. A stop to reflect, however, is a treasure. I welcome any feedback you can give on Goodoodles! Thanks and I’ll be back! April
I can scarcely describe the peace and comfort that came when I chose to surrender my life fully to God. I know that all challenges are part of His master plan which we can not see nor envision.