A Walk With The Clouds

I went on an afternoon stroll about an hour ago. I was a little unsure because it looked like it was going to rain but as I walked it actually seemed to get brighter and the sun came out behind the clouds. I was actually most intrigued by the sky. The gray clouds were so dark yet so beautiful. It reminded me of my life in a way. There are times, especially during school when stress becomes too much and the amount of homework is overbearing. My life becomes a giant black cloud reading to burst with tears as it seems like I can’t possibly go on. But then…a ray of sunshine breaks through and there is a spark of hope. God seems to pull away my troubles and shine his light and warmth in on me. Gradually, as I take hold of his warmth and his love my clouds and stress begin to part and blue sky appears. The funny thing about my walk is the sky did just that. As I walked on, the sun came out and blue sky appeared. It was so beautiful as the trees became a silhouette in the sun’s shadow.

I then listened to the wind as it whispered through the trees and shook the branches. It was a peaceful kind of sound…and then …a song filled the air. You could hear the notes as they fluttered through the sky and I wondered; what is it like to be a bird? What is it like to be able to have the most beautiful view in the world? What is it like to be able to go up high and look down to see just how small we truly are?


I walked on wondering until I came to a sign that told me if I were to go straight it would be a DEAD END. That of course got me thinking all over about life. Life is a journey; it is a road we must walk. Sometimes, there are dead ends which we choose to ignore and it is not until we reach the very end and we are stuck that we realize we were wrong and must turn around and start again. Other times, we are walking and when we look straight ahead it looks like there is no end. It is just a long road full of twists and turns and we never know what we will see behind the next corner.

As I walked over the hills and around the turns I could start to feel my feet and legs getting tired but I knew that I was almost home so I kept on chuggin. Maybe that’s all the hope we need. Whether it is God shining through our darkness or knowing that every day brings us one step closer to our home in eternity. We can always count on Him being right here with us every step of the way, and without that comfort, without that hope, all there is is never ending roads and dead ends that are clouded over with gray.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

In this poem, the prose meaning is about a man who is on a “little horse” (5) going through the woods that are covered in snow. He is on a journey, to and where we do not know but he does stop to ask himself if he is lost, “to ask if there is some mistake” (10). He knows he cannot stop but most make it to his destination so he continues by giving “his harness bells a shake” (11). He finds the woods “lovely, dark and deep” (13) as he continues his journey so we know he is encouraged to move on and must make it to his destination because he tells himself he has “miles to go before [he] sleep[s]” revealing that he will not give up on his long journey (15, 16).

The total meaning of this poem is all about the journey of life. When the woods are called “lovely, dark and deep” they not only are referring to the beauty of nature but it is also describing life itself (13). Furthermore, when the man “stop[s] without a farmhouse near” it can reflect how he may feel alone in life and surrounded by “frozen lake[s]” and “the darkest evening[s]” (6,7-8). The cold icy lakes and darkness can be the obstacles and challenges of life that the man must pass. He may be asking himself why he is facing these hardships or “if there is some mistake” (10). However, the man tells himself, “I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep” (14-15). He recognizes the responsibilities and other obligations in life he must fulfill so he cannot just give up. He can also be viewed as being torn between the beauty of nature (being in the woods and snow) and the duties and tasks of life. Either way, he must go on through the “miles” of life and continue its long journey before he gives up and “sleeps”.

To me, this poem is symbolic of my life. As the years pass there are many times I must get through the lonely snow covered woods in order to get to where I want to be. When I’m hurting or frustrated I ask myself why this happening is, there must be some mistake. The stress and business of high school and college prep are the “frozen lakes” and empty farmhouses that I must pass. In the chaos I can sometimes forget the road that I’m on and it is the beauty in nature such as the snow covered trees or breathtaking sunrise that bring me back to the peace and love in Christ and his creation. I am then reminded of the miles before me filled with promise and hope. I realize that I can get through the dark woods and resist the “sleep” of giving up and quitting. There is so much God had planned for me and I know he has a special purpose for me so I will pick up the reins again and give the “harness bells a shake” and allow Him to guide me through life to me destination (9).