Soil On a Sidewalk

My wife and I live in a tri-level house in Dyer, Indiana. About 15 years ago, we decided to replace the bland, cement sidewalk leading from our driveway toward the front door entrance of the house with brick pavers. Then, we planted flowerbeds on either side of the pavers to enhance the warmth we hoped to reflect when one walks into our home.

One side effect from planting flowers on either side of the pavers (even with the edging placed against the soil) is that, when it rains hard and flowers are not present to absorb the rain (in the springtime for example,) soil from the flowerbeds gets washed over the edging and onto the brick pavers. This leaves an unsightly, dirty appearance with the consequence of enabling the dirt to be tracked into the house.



When this misplaced soil is present on the pavers, we need to either hose down the bricks or sweep the soil away after it dries. This can be a tedious process when it rains frequently, especially if it is a downpour, as what has happened in the last two weeks. After the brick pathway has been cleaned, it looks as good as new.

When I thought about it, I was reminded how we can be adversely affected by the noise and anxieties that can impact one’s spiritual life. We may be travelling along a good pathway in faith and our journey to God, only to find the craziness in life detracts us from seeing the good path we are on. We may then only see the bad things in life happening, versus the beauty God presents on the road on which we travel. Seeing the ugliness and not the beauty can be unsettling and spiritually fatiguing.

When this happens, let’s remember to wash away what is distracting to us with the graces we receive in the Sacraments and in prayer, thereby enabling us to see that we are not alone. Let us see that God is always there to help us on our journey to our heavenly home.  

By: Deacon Tom Gryzbek