What I Learned From Shoes

Fashion Stops At The Feet

I have wide feet. When I was a child, my mother had to take me to a specialty children’s shoe store. Regular shoe stores didn’t carry wide shoes back then.

I can assure you, brown leather clodhoppers that were a cross between brogans and oxfords are not fashionable by anyone’s standards.

When I grew too old for the specialty store, my size 6 foot was strapped into a size 8 medium shoe because the larger size made the shoe wide enough.

And two sizes too long.

My feet endured heels that slipped up and down and rubbed blisters. And the toes of my shoes would catch on the ground, making it difficult to keep from falling.

Most of my life, I’ve longed to wear pretty shoes that were considered the height of fashion.

Even though many stores now carry wide widths, my quest for comfortable, fashionable shoes usually ends in what I typically describe as “The Great Shoe Search Debacle of <insert applicable year>”.

What I Learned About Shoes

In an attempt to leave the past in the past, I purposely choose to wear the nicest shoes I can that:

— Don’t hurt my feet or cause leg or back or other kinds of pain.

— Are suited for what I need to accomplish. I must guard against being drawn into buying shoes that don’t suit my purposes or activities. For example, my feet are ALWAYS cold, so buying sandals to wear in an air-conditioned building is asking for trouble.

— Help keep me stable so I don’t lose my balance and stumble.

What I Learned From Shoes

Life is full of enough trouble without causing myself pain by wearing something that doesn’t fit.

This truth also applies to life in general.

I need to purposely choose to:

— Stay away from people and situations that cause harm physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.

— Pursue goals that God wants me to accomplish. I must guard against being drawn into anything that doesn’t suit His purposes. Knowing who I am and whose I am keeps me from getting into trouble.

— Focus on God and doing what helps me stay stable so I don’t lose my emotional balance and stumble.

What helps you stay balanced and stable?

What I Learned From Shoes – What helps you stay balanced and stable? Share on X

Joni Vance is an award-winning author of fiction, essay, and poetry. She loves mystery, history, and how God reveals Himself every day.

May God reveal the mystery of His love in your life story.