Shoes. They can make or break your day. They set you up for success or trip you up. I reflected on choosing my shoes... and no not over what matches or is "stylish" enough as Mari would say... but about how hard choosing your shoes often is...
In the past few days I made a few hard shoe choices. Over the weekend I put on my black dress shoes. Since pandemic started I rarely wear dress shoes, and honestly can’t remember when I put these on last. I had a funeral. I dusted them on Friday. I was off to a viewing a good friend and community leader.
Saturday morning at the memorial mass I looked down at my shoes. I thought about Greg as a veteran and his black boots. I thought about why we wear black to mourn when we should wear colors to celebrate a beautiful vibrant life. I thought about how much I dreaded putting on those shoes, and walking into mass.
Monday afternoon I planned a “short” run. I thought I would try maybe a mile or more. I was anxious about it all day and putting the shoes on made me nervous. Usually lacing up my running shoes was empowering, but not since I hurt my knee. In the interim putting them on to run 1/4 mile felt like a boondoggle during rehab… so I held off on using my running shoes until I really started running.
Would of been my longest yet… at 1.2 miles the knee felt great and I said let’s do 2.
So I did. BOOM.
Shoes are often times the last thing we put on. However it can be a thought long before, of pain or anxiousness or excitement. They can be empowering or debilitating.
Since pandemic I think a lot on the little things, like choosing your shoes. Kinda like choosing your attitude, one small thing, you shoes, makes a big difference.
It was hard slipping on and lacing both my black dress shoes, and my running shoes the past few days. Hoping I won't put those black dress shoes on for a while, and I am planning to lace up those running shoes today...
Here is to getting to choose shoes more often that make me look forward to activities, that empower me.