Train of Thought

As I climb up the once gray and now black steps leading up to the platform, I give a loud yawn. I must do this everyday just to get to school. Sometimes, I wonder why school is so important. In a white shirt, blue jeans and black Nike sneakers, I walk, feet barely making a sound, across a platform covered with dried. I slowly make my way across the platform to stand in front of a huge and white piece of metal with the sign "Burnside Ave" on it. Standing there, I patiently wait for the No.4 train to arrive. I stifle another yawn and bend my upper body over the rail, my eyes looking for the two bright eyes of the first car of a train ten cars long. Seeing nothing, I stand again and look over the rail at the roof of a black building with doghouse on it. Looking left, I see the first signs of people filling the sidewalks cleared by the night. Cars of all designs and all colors and the occasional No. 36 bus noisily start making their way up or down a two-way road. No doubt some of these people are on their way to school and work as well. No doubt all the people standing on the platform with me are on their way to school and work as well. The distant rumbling of the No.4 train making its way down from 183rd Street disturbs my train of thought. I feel a strong gust of wind pressing against my clothes and getting stronger as the cacophony steel wheels turning continues to get louder. Shortly after the wind reaches its climax, the platform stops its gentle shaking. The train doors open with a ding-dong and I get on the train.

Everybody is looking for something in this day and age. I go to school to seek knowledge and others go to work to seek money. Everybody knows where he or she is going and therefore nobody gets lost. These are things of the flesh but what about things of the spirit; what about peace of mind? When it comes to peace of mind, one could be the smartest of the smart and the richest of the rich and still not have it. One can also be the poorest of poor and the dumbest of the dumb and not have this valued treasure. Before all of us, there are many trains and many train stations all claiming to lead to the same destination. Money is one but if this were the true path then all rich people would have it. Religion is one but if that were the case then all the people of the world would have it. There is only one true way, one true path, one true train and that is Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” Jesus Christ is the only train leading to eternal peace in Heaven. However, what is peace of mind and why is it so important? Peace of mind is the security that everything will turn out fine no matter what happens as long as Jesus Christ is the motorman. Through this peace all sorrow is lost and every sin is forgiven. Even death is not a problem. Nobody is immune to death and nobody knows what happens after death. By riding J.C. train death is only a doorway to an eternity of peace in heaven. In any other train, death would be a doorway to an eternity of torture in hell. How does one pay the fare to get on this train? Token or metrocard is not acceptable. Reading the Bible and following what it says can do it. It starts by first believing in God, repenting of your sins and believing that he is the Savior.

The doors of the train are now open and there is nothing stopping a person from stepping in or off whenever they wish. The danger is if you step off the train opportunity may not present itself for you to step in. If you are in the train now or you plan to take J.C. train later, see you then at the last train stop - which is the Bosom of Abraham.

Ifeoluwapo Eleyinafe