Tracks in time

I took a walk today. It’s finally getting above freezing so there’s a lot of snow, ice and slush out there but no humans. That’s fine with me. But I wasn’t alone… there were tracks.
Generally while on a walk, it’s bits of color that catch my eye but January in Ohio isn’t so colorful. It was a grey day, with a bit of a breeze but not much visual interest about. So my eyes kept getting drawn back to the tracks left in the snow.
Some tracks were deer, some human. I’m sure some were dogs although we must have some really huge dogs around here. I saw raccoon tracks and at one place, I can’t imagine what made the track but a snake. Do snakes hibernate?
No humans, little life around but these tracks reminded me of what had been nearby. Animals hiding from my noisy passage, or curled up in the distance napping in safety. Dogs and their people, home safe and warm
Somehow I was reminded of all the unseen company that I always have. Friends and family who aren’t nearby and some who aren’t on this plane anymore. Their tracks don’t show in the snow… but they do still exist. Tracks of fun in my memory, tracks of love in my heart. Their presence not seen but certainly still felt whether it’s been days or decades we’ve been apart.
Honor the tracks that grace your life.
They keep me from ever feeling lonely.