FOOTPRINTS

One night a GurSikh dreamt he was walking along a beach

with the Guru.  Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
In each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the
sand, one belonging to him and the other to GuruJi.

When the last scene of his flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.  He
noticed that many times along the path of his life
there were only one pair of footprints.  He also
observed that this happened at the very difficult and
saddest times of his life.
This bothered him and
he asked the Guru about it

"GuruJi, you said that once I decided to follow   
you, you'd walk with me all the way.  But I noted
that during the most troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.  I don't understand
Why, when I need you most, you would leave me.

The Guru replied

"My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you.
During the time of trial and suffering, when you see only one
set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."