As he walked down that lonely street, he could hear those weak footsteps walking behind him, sending their childish echo through the walls of the buildings embracing that street.He turned around to see that young boy still following him.That boy has been following him for some time then, and it was so strange because the boy never asked him for anything or talked to him.All he did was just smile at the young man in such irresistible innocence.The man thought the boy was cute at the beginning but then, a while later he started to get a bit suspicious.Who was that boy, and where were his parents?He certainly wasn't a vagabond from the streets as he was dressed neatly.He wore an ironed, blue shirt, on which lay a light grey, sleeveless pullover, and black trousers.The boy looked very decent, which made the man even more suspicious, seeing such a decent boy following him all day long, not speaking a word to him, and simply smiling all the time!
The man had lost his job lately, and now he was in such a dilemma.He was very frustrated because he was such a dedicated worker, and a very talented person, and he was only dismissed from his job due to a severe financial crisis that took place in the company in which he worked, forcing the manager to dismiss all newly hired employees.Unfortunately, the financial crisis did not take place only in that company, but in a great number of other companies, causing a lot of people to lose their jobs, and become unemployed.Due to these circumstances, the man knew that he would have to stay unemployed for some time before he could get up on his feet again and find another job.
The path through which the man walked seemed much longer than usual, and he could not stop thinking about how frustrating life could be.Just as that opportunity of a better life touched his hand, it slipped right through his fingers in no time, and now he was back to the point of nothingness again.
The man found a number of stairs beside him, so he decided to rest there in the shade for a while.He didn't feel like going back home then, because he felt that if he went there, he would keep reminding himself of his failure.As he sat there, the young boy approached him, smiling, and sat down by his side.The man didn't lift his head off the ground, and he decided to ignore that boy till he left.Thoughts of frustration paced in his head like fire in a forest, burning his ambition.He decided to give up.He had tried so many times before, and was now terribly tired and could not take more steps forward.He could not direct his talents somewhere where they would be of good use, and every time he tried to achieve something he was met by rejection, or bad circumstances.He felt like it was that point of the race where his legs hurt so much that he could not run any further.He needed to stop..To take a break from all that was happening around him.
As he stared at the ground beneath him, his eyes met the shoes and socks of the young boy beside him.He could not help but notice that something was wrong with the boy's legs.As he lifted his eyes a bit higher to look at the boy's trousers, his heart gasped with pain as he realized the bitter truth.The boy had no legs.Instead of two small, youthful legs, a pair of metal sticks were present, replacing those lost blossoms of beauty and engines of youth.Obviously, the boy had lost his legs in an accident or so, and instead of them, he had those horrible machine-like legs.The man lifted his eyes to meet the boy's.He expected to see a pair of lonesome, melancholic and tearful eyes, but instead he saw a pair of shining, smiling, innocent eyes, full of life and expectations of a bright future.It was only a matter of seconds until the man saw the thing that changed his life forever.
A group of boys came over and offered to race with the young boy sitting beside the man.The boy nodded and accepted the offer.As he stood up, one of the boys sarcastically commented on the young boy's legs, saying he wouldn't be able to race with them.But all the young boy did was look at him and smile calmly.They all stood at the start point marked for the race, and started running.
As they ran, the young boy's position started to decline, finally leaving him behind as the last.The boy who mocked the young boy looked behind and when he saw that he was in the last place, he laughed loudly and annoyingly commented about the boy being so late.Suddenly, the man-who has been watching everything from the very beginning-saw a sparkle in the young boy's eyes, a sparkle that shouted "I CAN" in silent determination.And then, for the amazement of everybody, the boy started to advance and pass the other boys.Regardless of the pain in his thighs and the breath that he could not take..Regardless of his stumbling legs and unstable steps..Regardless of everything, he put his eyes on the goal before him and struck the long street like lightning.The boy could not believe his eyes as he saw the young boy approaching him at such speed, and he tried to increase his speed but in vain, the young boy had reached him and was already passing him.Finally, and by a very slight difference, the young boy stormed through the end line, followed by the other boy.The young boy stood there, without a word, gasping for his breath, as the other boy approached him and shook hands with him, nodding his head slightly as a token of respect.The young boy shook hands with him in absolute modesty, as a smile shone upon his face, and he tapped the boy's shoulder in a friendly manner.
The man watched all that in tremendous amazement.He could not believe his eyes, and was deeply affected by the incredible determination of that young boy.He stood up on his feet and walked toward the boy, intending to talk with him and know everything about him.At that moment, as the boy lifted his head and looked him in the eye, the man discovered that he knew those eyes well.They were his own eyes.Those hazel eyes and light brown eyebrows.It was at that moment that he understood it all.It seemed that the boy could read his thoughts, and how could he not when he was actually a part of that man himself?How could he not, when he was the fruit of that inner struggle burning within the man's heart, between surrendering and fighting?
It was then, and only then, that the man could see the message he was sending to himself.The boy was nothing more than the powerful fighter within the man's soul, the mere creation of his personal imagination, urging him to move forward and not give up..Urging him to fight all reasons for frustration, and prove himself..Urging him to shine, regardless of all the obstacles that might stumble across his path.He understood now that it was all about himself.It was in his hands to lift himself up to float amidst the clouds, or let himself fall down into the depths of the Earth.
The man nodded with a smile as the boy looked at him and laughed gladly, innocently.The man knew now what he should do.It was his time to shine.His time to stay high as everybody else fell down with the surrounding circumstances.It was his time to leave a mark of himself..A mark of his existence.
The man turned to the other side, and started to walk up that path once again, that time with nothing in his mind but two words.."I CAN"..This time with a clear vision of himself, and of his abilities..This time, with the world between his hands..He turned his head to cast one last look upon the young boy, but the boy was gone..He was gone now, that he had succeeded in making himself understand that he was worth all the success in the world..And worth existing, and living..
The boy was that inner light present within the man, guiding him toward the trail of power, of proving oneself..That inner light inspiring his heart to cure its wounds and cease its bleeding, with that resolution of his ability to do anything, and a smile that removes all pain..Till now, every now and then, the man still sees the boy with that smile upon his face, standing by his side, reminding him of who he truly is..Reminding him of his inner strength, and his inner patience..Reminding him of..His inner light..
