I have been in many places and seen many faces. No matter how brief was my stay or my acquaintance with those people, there was something familiar in them all.

It could be my childish conclusion but I think I can see the proof of human strength and perseverance in almost anything and anybody.

We all have our obstacles to conquer. Mine is to adjust to the new places, new language or new friends and get used to the loss of old friends, old habits or old wishes.

With every adaptation, I realize that a person can start anew; they can pave fresh tracks along their own journey. Without an effort to try and persevere through a sometimes terrifying change, one will always stay stationary. What good will standing still do?

Life, like many mountains, is built of millions of little tiny stones. Little decisions and actions we’ve done as individuals amount to something greater than we can possibly imagine; the unknown future that we can do nothing but guess about.

With each act of hope and faith, people are moving on their path of life and leave their footprints to remind us of rewards at the end of every hardship.

So let this life be truly your own, as it is with your journey. Many times I’ve almost given up; I’ve trudged through the coldest snow and turned around only to find my progress gone after a storm. Or I have woken up on an ordinary day unsure of where to go next, looking for a flicker of direction.

Yet I want to share comfort with others who are frozen in place, others who are reluctant and afraid to do something they have the urge to do. Look around, open your eyes and you will see the many footprints of other people. Heroes, history makers, politicians, teachers, fathers or mothers. Look close enough and you see the fruit of their struggle, see the golden sparkle in their every step.

Now every day is a new journey, with obstacles to pass and new hope to gain. Where I will be in the future, I can only pray I will get there.

I pray these feet point homeward.
 
Patricia Mentari Renyut
Grade 10 - Sekolah Pelita Harapan
Karawaci, Banten