We've come a long way together. The journeys are what I remember, what I keep within me. Each journey made up of a series of steps. No single step is all that noteworthy, but in total, a significant amount of distance has been covered. I slip you on each morning as I get ready for work. I remember the trip to the Big Island. I knew your comfort running out to get an ice cream treat or romping through the fields throwing the frisbee or launching model airplanes. There was that slow walk to the doctor's office to learn about the test results or the playful scamper to get into the amusement park before we lost another minute.Each new pair of shoes marks a chapter in my life. Year by year by year. Each accompanies me for part of my journey. They comfort and protect each step. Slowly they begin to wear. Scuff marks, creases, loose threads, and soles worn by abrasion. Finally, when they have served their purpose, they are set aside for something new. Eventually they make their way to the back of the closet or the corner of the garage. Finally, after a time, they are taken out to the trash to complete their cycle.
Am I nostaglic for shoes? Melancholy over their demise? Hardly. The shoes are not the point. The living of life and of making the most of the journey are what inspires me. Hopefully my next pair of shoes will accompany me to places and heights that I could not have imagined before. I look forward to the road ahead.
