DAD, said my daughter one day, “Isn’t it Central Park that you’ve al ways loved?” I was quiet, because though I loved the park and all the fall colours I was sure it offered, I still knew that it was a bit of a more tedious walk than the river park nearby.
It was just a matter of a few hours, that we were off, my daughter and I to Central Park. She had already painted visual pictures of every tree now a banner of colour awaiting me in the park, and I just couldn’t wait to reach.
Manhattan has it’s highs and lows. No not the moods, though I’m sure this fast paced city could be a moody one to many, I’m talking here of the roads, which would suddenly climb and just as suddenly move down. I trudged up, and hastened down, and it was on one of the trudging highs that I felt the distinct discomfort of little pebbles in my shoe.
I tried to walk, without thinking of them, but they only made their presence felt even more. Finally, I stopped, took off my shoes, took the troublesome fellows out, and with renewed zeal and no interference now moved up and on.
It was just a matter of minutes before we came to Central Park. Believe you me, the colours of autumn are incredible, like leaves making one last appeal to showcase their beauty so that they will not be sacrificed for the coming winter.
I spent that morning taking in the different colours, the fiery orange, the blazing red, the honey dew, the mustard, the crimson, and oh yes, some trees with their ever green leaves, telling the world, that come fall or summer, spring or winter, they would the always remain the same.
“We are just in time for sunset!” said my daughter. I nodded, if I hadn’t taken out the pebbles from my shoe, I would have reached as darkness fell, and missed this incredible sight of the last of the yellow sun kissing the same colours on the trees.
AS we walked back, I thought about those same pebbles, and realized how often we try to walk carrying those same irritating pebbles in our shoes; unforgiveness, hurt, anger, and step by step they slow us down, till finally it is only darkness that greets our journey. We miss the beauty of the trees, the splendor of the world, the joy of living, because we continue through life without removing those pebbles in our shoes..!
