The Trail

As we live our lives we all leave a trail behind. A trail that bends and winds up, down and around the years…through darkness and light…calm and storm and on occasion over more than one cliff. A trail that takes its direction from choices made or not made, road signs seen or missed and chances taken or lost. A trail that has led us all to the place we are… right here and right now. So, what was it that determined the trail I took…what were the events that steered my course…what does the trail I’ve left behind so far look like? If I stop, turn and look, what will I see? Not that I can do anything about anything now. I’m here…in this place…at this time. Looking back through the fog of time though, I can see a trail that is littered with quite a few “What ifs” and “Might have beens”. I can see a trail that I sometimes blindly charged down, flying past roads I never gave a thought to taking. I can see a trail stained with more than a few tears from damage done to me…and by me. If I could do it over again would my choice of trails to take be the same? I’ll never know, but maybe…just maybe, by taking a moment to stop and look back down my crooked trail, I will move forward with a softer, more thoughtful step.