Paarth Madan

A medium to iterate on my own thoughts.

Footsteps

Posted at — Dec 19, 2020

This is the second story from my walk. Read the previous one here and the next one here.


My hands were now warm, so I look around the snow-covered grounds deciding where I should go next.

Then, amidst the snow, I noticed a set of footsteps.

I knew immediately where I was going.

It was snowing lightly. Based on the depth of the imprint in the ground, it appeared as though this step was made hours ago – now covered by many centimeters of snow. The snow was beginning to hide the history of this person – I wanted to make sure the prints remained.

So I continued.

I danced with them, placing my left foot where they once placed theirs. The right followed – it was the right thing to do after all.

In my walk, I learned a few things about this person.

They had a small frame.
They definitely had small feet.

I’m a fairly tall individual, with fairly large feet. I had a very difficult time consistently shadowing this person’s path because it was awkwardly narrow.

Despite the glaringly obvious disparity between how they walk, and how I walk, I continued to follow in their footsteps.

It seemed this person walked without a worry in the world.

Their footsteps were slow. I made this inference as I noticed steps further down the path were far more visible. They took a long period of time to take that many steps. Even if it wasn’t, I like to think this person was walking at a slower pace.

I felt, in that instant, I understood this person a little bit more. I decided to stop mimicking their footsteps and, instead, began to mimic their state of mind – well the one I perceived.

I took it slow, took a deep breath, and let the cold wintry air enter and exit my body.

I let out a hot stream of air that left a visible cloud of vapour.

I continued, now much slower.

I left my own footprints, thinking they might be followed by someone else.


I was feeling somewhat lonely that day.

It felt nice walking with someone, even if that person wasn’t there.

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