Life in this world could be likened to a blind man walking down a country road, tapping his wooden cane as he goes. He can only imagine what surrounds his way and the significance of his passing. He feels the moving of the wind and hears the rustle of the leaves, the swishing of the grass, even birds on the wing. He does not know what lies ahead, but he feels his way as he goes, tapping, tapping, tapping. From long traveling down this long winding road, he learns its bends and turns. Its flat surface, though sometimes marred and rutty, is his only safe place to walk. Cautiously, he feels his way between the ditches that threaten on either side. Life is like that for all of us. We cannot see what awaits us on our future path, but can only imagine what lies ahead. Tapping our way through the rough and rutty places, we move on in hope of good things ahead. It is not until we encounter a ditch that we become wise. The pain of falling into one ditch and then the other teaches us to stay in the middle. Falling into the ditches of error and sin is a cruel teacher. It brings many pains and heartaches. God's compassionate word teaches us how to stay out of the ditches and in the middle. Few heed and must suffer many sorrows as we go tapping, tapping, tapping down the road of life. The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. -- Proverbs 16:17.