Three Small Steps & A Giant Leap

I don't mean to 'step' on anybody's toes, but this week's Parsha brings a relevant halacha - rule - to mind. It's something you may 'run into' anytime you go to shul. You've finished your Shemoneh Esrei; before you take your 3 steps back you look behind you and see that Joe is still davening. What do you do? A prevalent custom is to 'put it in reverse' until you feel his breath on the back of your neck, or really step on his toes.
The Shulchan Aruch - Code of Jewish Law - says one should not step within 4 amos (6 feet) of someone who is praying. The reason for this is because he will be cutting between the one praying and the Shechina - G-d (Mishnah Berurah).
Rashi explains that the word eikev at the beginning of this week's Parsha is a reference to the relatively lighter mitzvos that a person does not consider and "tramples [upon them] with his heals." Let's give some more thought to these little steps we make at the end of our davening, and make some giant leaps in our awareness for prayer.