Watch Your Step

He loved visiting the neighbors. Stopping by the barn had become part of his daily routine. Some days there were mice to stalk and catch, but most of the time he just enjoyed hanging out with the horses and cleaning up the bits of grain they dropped as they ate. In the winter it was warm from the bodies of his big friends and he liked to chase the frosty air they blew from their noses. Today, however, was warm and the sun was shining, so he just stopped by to see if they had left any delicacies for him to eat.

She and her brothers were playing. Dad was walking out to the barn and she really wanted to be first in the stall--after all as the eldest child, it was her right to be fed first. The sun was warm on her back and it felt so good after the long cold winter.

Trotting into the corral, Joe stayed close to her. She would share a stall with him--if he gave her the lion's share of the grain. Rounding the corner she heard Mister run up behind them. The little scamp was feeling his oats chasing Joe. She kicked up her heels and ran right through the back section of the corral, down the fence line, back around the fence and into the other side of the barn's corral.

Dad was already in the barn filling the feed buckets. She could hear the sound of the scoop and the grain falling into the feeder. She would get the drop on those boys and chase them both out of the corral and get the grain for herself.

Hearing the horses running into the yard, he carried the feed buckets to the stall. The neighbor's cat was visiting again, lounging in a sun beam. He too, heard the horses running around outside and got up stretching as he went and moving out of the stall. At about the same moment, Georgia came barreling around the corner of the barn, running full speed into the stall.

The cat saw the horse barreling toward him. Streaking from the stall into the corral, he tried to escape thundering hooves. Georgia saw the streak of amber, realizing her neighbor was occupying the space where she needed to put her feet. A ballet began.

The cat twisted, bending his body into contortionist's shapes, melting around hooves as they pounded the earth. The horse went from a full run almost to a stop, seeming to place her weight on the tips of the hooves, like a ballerina on pointe. Her legs seemed to go four different directions, her feet barely touching the earth as she hopped from toe to toe trying to avoid the cat. The cat was pole bending through the legs and hooves, searching for a way out of the enormous feet about to squash him into the earth.

She reared up as he brushed one leg, thinking she had smashed her friend. The other two horses screeched to a halt behind her as they suddenly had no place to go; bumping in to one another, smacking their noses into each other and worse . . . her.

The amber cat streaked through the barnyard, seeing his nine lives replay before his eyes and miraculously reached the fence intact. Once on the other side, he never slowed until he reached the safety of his own home.

She finally sat her foot fully on the ground. Whirling behind her she nipped her brother whose nose smacked into her backside, whinnied her disdain to the other one as well and then collecting her dignity, strolled into the barn--to the sound of laughter as her father slapped his thighs. "You nearly stepped in it this time, girl!"

She was not amused.

So often in life we get caught up in ourselves, the things we want, being first, paying someone back, or just living our lives, that we forget about others. That is, until something happens and we find ourselves in a precarious situation. Everything is going along fine and then . . . obstacles are in our path. Every step we take is filled with fear of failure, destruction, danger, or disappointment. Things behind us are pressing in, yet to go forward could crush something equally precious. We have to watch our steps--often relying upon instinct . . . or luck . . . to guide us.

When we spend time each day with God--learning of God, listening to God, talking to God--we begin to take on the attributes of God. God's ways . . . thoughts become a part of us. As we go through our ballet, called life, it becomes easier to "watch our steps" knowing that God will guide us through the rough spots.

Teach us your ways, Oh God, so that we may live a better life with you. When we find our way suddenly filled with danger or the prospect of hurting others we instinctively turn to you. Help us to allow you to guide us through--not only for our sake, but for the sake of all your children and creation. So be it. Amen.