Walking Home

     The home I grew up in as a boy had a river running along one side of it and a set of railroad tracks running along the other. Being just 10 feet away from the tracks sometimes scared my Mom. Our home consisted of two, old, shanty cars painted green and several rooms we built on ourselves. She knew that it would be crushed if any one of those 20 feet tall, railroad cars loaded with coal were to tip over on it. I never shared her fear, however, no matter how much those cars would sway as the trains went by. In my child’s mind the trains and tracks where a source of endless adventure and home was a place of love, joy, and safety that I could always return to.

     In fact, I would often spend part of my summer mornings walking down the railroad tracks and back home again. It was a challenge to see how long I could walk on one of the narrow, steel beams without stumbling off. It took me a while before I discovered that the trick was to never look at your feet. As long as I kept my eyes on that old home of ours I never fell off. I would walk for hundreds of yards with thoughts of my Mom’s tender smile, my Grandma’s big hugs, a loving greeting from my dog, Duke and a loaf of warm, Italian bread for dinner running through my mind. They always kept my heart and feet going right where they needed to go.

     Life here on Earth can also be as tricky as walking on a narrow, steel beam at times. You may even feel in moments like a huge railroad car is about to fall on you. Don’t give up, though. It is times like these that you have to keep your eyes on home. Our lives here may be our house for a while, but they are not our home. As much as we may learn about love and grow in goodness here our true home still awaits us. It is there where the smiles will never cease, the hugs will go on forever, and the love will never end. It is there where we will feast in God’s warmth, love, and light. Enjoy your trip though life then, but always keep your eyes on home.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella (joecool@wirefire.com) -- {used with permission} ]