Leaving a Good Impression
I most often find imprints in mud and snow. They are left by scurrying wildlife and spinning tires, but the ones that interest me most are made by people. The bottoms of shoes are unique; a heavily trafficked footpath after rain or snow reveals this hidden diversity.
An imprint catches my eye if it has an unusual and well-defined pattern. On a sunny day, its depth is highlighted by the contrast of light and shadow. I lower myself closer to the ground to better see the details. If I were much smaller, I would be gazing at a mountain range shaped by a person’s casual footstep. Considering the world from the perspective of someone tiny or enormous is humbling. It reminds me that what happens on a small scale also occurs on a large one.
Recently, a shoe imprint I photographed led me to consider life in a broader context. The tread’s design featured a circle encompassed by many rings expanding outward. Time begins with the first circle, and those radiating from it mark its passage. This pattern is easily found in nature—in rippled water and sliced tree trunks. Our entire life is like a ripple in time. It is the imprint we leave behind.
This imprint is our legacy, a pattern as deep and detailed as we make it. We are here only for a moment, but that is long enough to leave our mark. The best impressions are formed under the right conditions—snow that is not too compact, soil that is not too dry. Similarly, it takes good values, hard work, and love to create a lasting impression. Good impressions serve as a reference for others, allowing our influence to persist for generations—long after it has been erased by time.
