This morning at the gym, I was on the treadmill when my right shoe suddenly felt like it had a stone or a stick inside of it. I got off the treadmill to remove whatever it was and discovered the side of the right shoe had torn away from the sole. The sole looked like it had gone through one puddle too many and it seemed pretty doubtful that even a cobbler could hammer and stitch things back together again.
I am fond of my workout shoes. They are filled – deliberately – with holes that allow the feet to breathe. I don’t have to wear socks with them. I think of them as my multidimensional shoes; in these shoes, I can do anything! So, I figured a trip to the sports store would be in order.
This is my third pair of shoes like this. When Nika was a puppy – 18 months ago – she chewed up the first pair and destroyed the left shoe in the second pair. At the time I found the second pair, I realized the right shoe was untouched, so I stashed it away in a plastic bin where we put our shoes before coming into the house. I’m not sure why I did this. Maybe I’m part pack rat, maybe in the back of my mind I thought I might be able to use it if Nika got a hold of my third pair of shoes.
I stashed it and forgot about it.
This evening, I was fishing around in the shoe bin for a pair of workout shoes I could use until I had a chance to buy a new pair – and came across the stashed shoe. Now my multidimensional shoes are complete once again!
I like the symbolism of shoes. They not only carry us through mud, across treadmills, into and out grocery stores, they protect and support our feet. They can dress us up or render us strictly casual. My main rule for shoes is simple: are they comfortable? And my multidimensional shoes are certainly that.
So now that my shoes are reunited, left and right a perfect match, I’m hoping these shoes are willing to take me across the world.
We do the same thing with “smart wool” socks. They’re expensive, and have problems with longevity, but they are sooo comfortable that we are willing to buy them all the same so we can replace one sock with another when needed. I also feel the same way about my Keene’s for walking. I’m always sad when they replace one model with another of my favorite things. Thus, my newest Keene’s are bright pink – the only ones available to replace my tan walking shoes. At least I’m visible 🙂
My first pair of keene’s were the true multidimensional shoes!
Of course they will take you across the world, Trish. I think it’s perfect that you found them and they are reunited, meant to be used together at last! :-0
OK, I’m ready to book my trip!
The local council where I live recently did a chilling display with shoes at a local shopping mall to remind people of the lives lost on local roads –
“Ghostly shoes a chilling reminder of death toll on Logan roads”
https://www.logan.qld.gov.au/about-council/news-and-publications/media-releases/media-releases/ghostly-shoes-a-chilling-reminder-of-death-toll-on-logan-roads
That brings home the multidimensional aspect that shoes represent to me,like the bones of cuttlefish washed up on the shore once belonging to creatures now past,or Sand Dollars that no longer are alive,but offer their shells as signs of hope for the living to find and ponder the meaning in the gift of life,before it’s gone.
Unlike the cuttlefish bones though,we can step out and back into our shoes like when going into a Buddhist temple,leaving our shoes outside while passers by wonder about the people who’s shoes lay at the entrance to the temple dedicated to spirit realm of life.
I’d never thought of shoes in quite that way, Daz, but I love the analogies to sand dollars and cuttlefish. That shoes display IS chilling.
a little shoe synchro – when i left here while ago, i clicked on google but realized i’d meant to do yahoo and opened that window up to find this lead-in caption:
ARE THESE THE SHOES THAT EVERY WOMAN WANTS?
and a photo of the legs of four women sitting showing their shoes –
🙂
Good one, gypsy!
neat story and one to which everyone can relate…in terms of shoes, i have a pair – actually 2 pairs – of ryka’s fisherman sandals that i feel exactly the same way about – when i’m wearing them i feel almost invincible – last winter i bought the second pair – then, after just a couple of times of wearing the new pair in the spring, i saw that the soles were becoming cracked around the front/toe edge – obviously a defect – but too late to send them back under the 30 day return policy – anyway, just like you, i began looking for another pair of different shoes until i could re-order my faves – and there, in a forgotten about shoe bin was the first pair – so i pulled them out and have been wearing them ever since…
i’ve another pair of shoes about which i feel the same way – totally comfortable – but dressier – they’re funky chunky platforms with lots of razzle-dazzle on the vamp – and i’ve never worn them that i didn’t get compliments – in fact, i love them so much, that i bought 3 pairs – in different colors – as a matter of fact, i did a fb post on them a couple of weeks ago – funny how such a basic physical object can come to bring about such feelings in us –
so…happy trails…
I like that idea of buying favorite shoes in different colors!