Written by Kuya Dan
Sa isang sulok ng aking aparador, nakapatong pa rin ang dalawang pares ng lumang trekking shoes.
Hindi na sila mukhang matibay — may mga gasgas, punit sa gilid, at ang kulay, kupas na. Pero sa bawat tagpi at mantsa, may kwento. Kaya kahit ilang beses ko nang naisip ipamigay sila, hindi ko magawa.
You see, these are not just shoes. They are witnesses — tahimik pero tapat na kasama sa mga summit na aking naakyat, sa mga pagod na pag-akyat at masayang pagbaba. They’ve been soaked in rain, covered in mud, and dusted by trails. They remind me of who I was — strong, adventurous, fearless.
Hanggang isang araw, huminto ang lahat. I had a stroke. Biglaang tumigil ang mundo ko. I could no longer climb. My body, once full of strength, now says, “You can’t do it anymore.”
At doon ko mas lalong tiningnan ang sapatos na iyon. Hindi dahil kailangan ko silang gamitin muli — kundi dahil para silang salamin ng isang bahagi ng buhay ko na tila hindi ko matanggap na tapos na. There’s an emotional attachment, a deep longing. Gusto kong bumalik, pero parang di na pwede.
At sa gitna ng lungkot, narinig ko si Lord sa puso ko. “Anak, wag kang tumigil. Hindi pa tapos ang lakbayin mo. Magpagaling ka. Magpalakas ka. Maglingkod ka pa rin.”
And so, I continue to walk — maybe not on mountains, but in the paths of service. Until now, I still serve in the church thru the Feast. I still encourage others. And slowly, step by step, I believe (full) healing will come. Maybe not to climb again, but to rise up again in other ways.
The shoes stay with me. Not because I’ll use them again, but because they represent faith, resilience, and memory. They remind me: I may not conquer mountains now, but I can still climb in spirit.
And in time, who knows? Baka sa biyaya ng Diyos, muli kong masusuot ang mga sapatos na ito — hindi man sa bundok ng lupa, kundi sa bagong bundok ng pananampalataya. And my journey will continue from sole to soul.
“𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘶𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘺; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵.” — 𝘐𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘢𝘩 40:31
#GOTO #GodOfTheOrdinary #WFALoveConnects