I took this picture sometime in 1991. A group of students on their way to our school’s Speech Festival had covered their whole bodies from head to foot with some sort of powder. As they walked barefooted, they left footprints along the corridor. I hesitated shooting the footprints because I wanted to save my favorite black and white film Kodak Tri-X for the Festival. But I eventually decided to shoot two pictures (this one) and another from the opposite side. Moments later, our school janitor mopped away the footprints.I am sure you have heard the song “Footprints in the Sand” several decades ago. (No, I am not referring to the Leona Lewis version which I will discuss below.) It became number one in Billboard’s Gospel chart and then crossed over again as number in the pop charts. The song used a poem of the same title as its chorus. Several writers have claimed authorship of this poem, namely, Ella H. Scharring-Hausen, Mary Stevenson, Floyd Keeton, Burrell Webb, Carolyn Joyce Carty, and Margaret Fishback Powers. Whoever the real author may be, here is a version of the poem for your reading and writing pleasure:
One night I had a dream.Wikipedia describes the Footprints poem and its influence in this way:
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with God and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and the other to God.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at a time along the path of my life there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned God about it.
“God, you said once I had decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way, but I noticed that during the most troublesome time in my life there is only one set of footprints.
“I do not understand why in times when I needed you most, you would leave me.”
God replied, “My precious, precious child I love you and I would never, never leave you during your time of trials and suffering.
“When you see only one set of footprints it was then that I carried you.”
Footprints, also known as Footprints in the Sand, is a popular allegorical text written in prose. There are three versions of the poem all with the same title but different authors. While critics have debated the literary merits of the piece, it has been enormously popular worldwide, especially among American Christians.
The text describes a dream, in which the person is walking on a beach with God (in some versions, specifically identified as Jesus). They leave two sets of footprints in the sand behind them. Looking back, the tracks are stated to represent various stages of this person's life. At some points the two trails dwindle to one, especially at the lowest and most hopeless moments of the character's life. When questioning God, believing that God must have abandoned his follower during those times, God gives the explanation: “During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you”.
A song based on the poem, called "Footprints in the Sand", was written by Per Magnusson, David Kreuger, Richard Page and Simon Cowell and recorded by Leona Lewis. It appears on Lewis's debut album Spirit which debuted at number one in nine countries, including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, New Zealand and Germany. It also holds the record for the biggest digital album sales in a week ever for a new artist, male or female.
Lewis’ “Footprints” song is SportRelief charity's official anthem for 2008. There is also a complimentary "Footprints In The Sand" ringtone. The lyrics of the song are posted below:You walked with me
Footprints in the sand
And helped me understand
Where I’m going
You walked with me
When I was all alone
With so much unknown
Along the way
Then I heard you say
(Chorus)
I promise you
I’m always there
When your heart is filled with sorrow
And despair
I’ll carry you
When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand
I see my life
Flash across the sky
So many times have I
Been so afraid
And just when I
Have thought I’d lost my way
You gave me strength to carry on
That’s when I heard you say
(Chorus)
I promise you
I’m always there
When your heart is filled with sorrow
And despair
I’ll carry you
When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand
When I’m weary
Well, I know you’ve been there
And I can feel you when you say
I promise you (you)
I’m always there
When your heart is filled with sadness (when your heart)
And despair (and despair)
I’ll carry you
When you need a friend (need a friend)
You’ll find my footprints in the sand
(I promise you)
(I’m always there)
When your heart is full of sadness (sadness)
And despair (And despair)
I’ll carry you (I’ll carry you)
When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand.