Ang, Jeff Clarence L.

PHYED 161 C
180273 02/05/20

Reaction Paper on Footprints: The Path of Your Life

The film entitled Footprints: The Path of Your Life is about a group of individuals
travelling from Arizona to Spain to embark on a pilgrimage—the pilgrimage of Saint James—
which is 550 miles long. The group of people chose to partake in the journey without the
guarantee that they would make it to their destination; participating in the journey involved
having to fight through days of suffering due to the scorching heat, strong rains, and the bitter
cold. Throughout this journey, the group of individuals showed resilience, perseverance, and
brotherhood.

The journey entailed the group of people to go well beyond their comfort zones, but it
was in those times of difficulty that they showed their resilience when they managed to stand
against the odds. The difficult situations that the group of individuals encountered gave them
the opportunity to overcome the struggles and become better; and, by choosing to take risks,
they were able to have memorable experiences. In order to grow, we need to be willing to take
meaningful risks. Moreover, the journey is similar to our own adventures in life in the sense
that arriving at our final destination—achieving whatever we want to achieve—is a process;
we do not reach our destination overnight. Through the likening of the group of individuals’
journey to our own journeys in life, it can be seen that it is also not always just about the
destination; but rather, we should also place emphasis on the journey that it takes to get there.
Throughout our journey towards a particular destination, we are faced with obstacles that we
have to overcome, but each obstacle also provides opportunities for growth. In the film, this is
emphasized when the group of individuals realized that the purpose of the pilgrimage is not
merely to get to Santiago, but rather, they are given the opportunity to grow and encounter
Christ in every step of the way.

In addition, the film also showed how faith can be a source of inspiration and self-
confidence. During their pilgrimage, the group of men were faced with a lot of challenges, with
only their faith as their source of strength to overcome their fears. The men, despite their
weaknesses and the hardships they encountered during their journey, focused on their God-
given strength to stay determined and focus on their task at hand.