I know there is a thread about Camino jokes, but I’m not sure that this one qualifies as a joke. I don’t know what it is, but I like this little story, it has put some thoughts into my mind and I just wanted to share. I read it in a pilgrim’s diary from 2009 (as I remember). Maybe you already know it, but anyway, here it is:
A pilgrim dies and goes straight to Heaven. God is there to bid welcome but also notices, that the pilgrim does not look all happy, so He asks: “What is troubling you, pilgrim?” The pilgrim says: “I have this feeling that You were not always by my side, while I was wandering my life’s Camino on the earth”. God says: “Oh no! Well then, come here with me and look down; there you see the footprints of your life’s trail across the earth and you will notice, that there is another set of footprints right next to yours - I was with you!” The grumpy pilgrim replies: “But look there!.... And there!... And there! On many stretches, there is only one set of footprints! Where were You then?” And God says: “Those are the stretches where I had to carry you”.
I like that story. I first read it in "Footprints in the Sand", but I love the Camino version, cause I sure do think that happened a couple of times to me on Camino.
Footprints In The Sand
circa 1978
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."
He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."