Walking Through Life
Walking Through Life
Shoes. Just one word can strike a racing beat into the hearts of women everywhere with thoughts of sales, that pair they have just waiting in the back of the closet and of course of their favorite pair that they probably have on. When men say it, it usually has a note of disdain attached. When children say it, it usually has some frustration at not being able to get them on or wonder at how big daddy’s boots are. There is even a YouTube song that no one can get out of their head that is mostly comprised of that single word. Like many women, I have a closet full of shoes. I have five inch heels, work boots, cowboy boots, fancy bejeweled flats (that look great with a flirty dress), and dress shoes that accompany my suits to the capitol in Washington D.C. After seeing all my fanciful footwear it may surprise most folk as to which one is my favorite pair. I kindly refer to them as the Reefs. Yes, my absolute favorite pair of shoes are a slightly (ok no, really) beat up pair of Reef flip flops.
My mother likes to call them thongs (which is embarrassing) and then suggest that I finally throw them away or at the very least get a new pair. My father never neglects to let me know that in most situations my Reefs are “not sensible”. My brother just likes to hide one from me so that I can’t put them on while flying out the door when I’m late. All of these criticisms and annoyances aside, I love these shoes. They’re brown leather tanned by own two feet with pink stitching. They hug my feet in places no human even knew existed, but when I put on another pair of shoes (namely my ugly anti-skid waitressing shoes) I’m reminded of just how good my Reefs are to me. They carry me to the far reaches of the world (or campus) and back. Most of all, they don’t judge me (no matter what I step into) and I don’t judge them.
Even though to most people they are pretty ugly especially compared to the rest of my closet....
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