This I Believe, You’ll Never Walk Alone
Has there ever been a time in your life when you’ve felt isolated or completely alone? I don’t consider myself to be deeply religious, but I believe that if you let God into your life, he will walk with you at all times. There have been several times in my life when I have experienced hardship, loneliness, and sadness, but a very wise and brave woman taught me that if I open my heart and have faith in God, I would never walk alone.
My great grandmother was born in the south and raised in a modest home. She attended college to become a teacher at a time when it was a priority to educate only your sons. She taught under privileged children, she helped raise a family during the Great Depression, and after losing some of her independence following a stroke, she never lost her faith that God walked with her. She passed away three years ago after a lengthy battle with pneumonia. Throughout her battle, she was courageous, brave, and determined to live life to the fullest.
I was out of town when I learned that my grandma was dying. We rushed back to see her one last time. We cried, we laughed, and she shared her inner strength with us so we wouldn’t feel alone.
I was honored to speak at her funeral because she was a great inspiration to me. I chose to recite her favorite poem, “Footsteps in the Sand.” I was overcome with sadness and I felt very much alone that morning but some invisible force was prodding me along. Just as I felt that I couldn’t possibly go on, the words of her poem flowed from my soul. I realized that not only was God with me in my time of need, but he picked me up and carried me just like my grandma told me he would.
I have a copy of her poem, scrawled in the careful script of a young girl, tucked into the Bible my grandparents gave me, Whenever I feel sad, troubled or alone, I know where to find it and it reminds me of my constant companions: My great grandma and my God.