New Shoes

As usual

It begins with something small

A word, a thought

A grain of worry

Like sand in my shoe.

                     

I keep walking

Going about my business

Going about the business

Of ignoring

This tiny thing.

And it works

For a while.

As long as I step carefully, I can fool myself into thinking

It's gone.

But soon enough

The sand becomes a pebble

That hurts with every step.

It reminds me that it's there.

Still,

I continue to ignore it,

Hoping it will go away.

Besides,

It's such a small thing.

By now,

This stone is cutting into me

Making every step a limp

That makes people turn to look at me

In pity.

All I think about is the pain.

The pain!

I have forgotten that this started

With a grain of sand

Or how it even got there in the first place.

I can walk no further.

Not one more step.

"Child.  Sit."

I obey.

He removes my shoes

                Worn from weary miles

                And the debris they have collected

                Over time.

He cleans my wounded feet,

Anoints them with love

And gives me new shoes:

Peace!

"Wear these every day."

With these shoes

I am prepared with peace,

Ready to walk

To run a mile

To dance all night.

I won't fret about pebbles or stones

Or tiny grains of worry.

I have other things to do.