Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

In my family, since I started high school, it has been a tradition that I get a new pair of shoes on Christmas. Not just any shoes. Converse all stars. I love everything about this brand of shoes. They are comfortable and durable, able to withstand anything I throw at them throughout the year.

To me, shoes are a work of art. They start out clean and neat, ready to take on a world of adventures. Over time, as I "forget" to untie them before I take them off, as I run around and play with my students, as I step in puddles, as I go geocaching, as I travel, as I simply live life, my shoes start to fall apart. The rubber on the side starts to peel away, the canvas gets a small hole, which over time, grows into a large rip almost large enough to put my whole foot through.

And you know what? I love it. These shoes tell what my life has been like. As I meet friends, my shoes are colored and drawn on, showing the people that I meet along the way.

These cranberry shoes have lived the last year of my life with me. They have been with me as I learned to practice patience in my life. They have been with me as I learned to live my first year on my own, paying my own bills, cooking my own meals, living an adult life. These shoes have been with me as I became a Compassion advocate, as I found children sponsors, and as I've become the sponsor and correspondent sponsor of many new children of my own. These cranberry colored shoes have been with me through many ups and downs. They have been loved...

And now, I have new shoes. This year, it appears the color red will be taking me through life.

The year has just begun and I already have big plans for these shoes. These shoes will walk me into my 3rd year of teaching preschool. These shoes will walk with me in 2013, as I put my word for the year, TRUST, to the test. These shoes will no doubt walk me into many more decisions and situations that I have yet to even think about.

One thought I can't seem to wrap my head around is that these shoes will walk me into Honduras. I will be wearing these shoes when I go on my first mission trip, as I experience Compassion's work firsthand, and as I meet my dear sponsored child, Celeste.

Feet (shoes) don't fail me now.