My Shoes.

Once upon a time, I purchased a pair of shoes. They were brand new, fresh out of the box, and carried an impression of all the miles we would walk along together. The black and white Converse I had been wearing - the third replacement set of the exact same footwear, had served their purpose, and were worn down enough to make me realize I must allow them to find their rightful place in shoe heaven; if such a place exists... I am not sure if footwear are atheists or not.

Initially, the new set of wanderers were a tight squeeze, when placed upon my feet - in order to serve their purpose of protecting my skin, bones, blood, ankle joints and toes. However, after a few short days of slightly awkward pain, they had grown attached to me, as much my feet grew attached to them; we were now associates - nothing was going to stop us from walking towards personal domination.

I loved them for many reasons; they were my favourite colour, Brown. They protected me from hard surfaces. They waited patiently with me, as I traveled through gyms, cinemas, restaurants, coffee shops, shopping centers, cars, trains, buses, houses, flats, and all manner of weird and wonderful places. They were with me when I laughed, cried, came close to giving in, felt euphoric moments of magic, and every emotion in-between. They are the only non-physical aspect of my being, which could explain the feeling of each sensation along every last step of the pathway.

And now these shoes are much older. They grow a little tired. The material has faded, the rubber texture has slowly dissipated over the passing months, and - while still very comfortable when placed upon my feet, will eventually be casually discarded and tossed aside - once I find a new and fresher pair; to begin yet another phase of a continuing journey. As time passes - and, as has been for the past thirty years of me life, many pairs of shoes will come and go from the life I live. Eventually, over a long enough timeline, I shall forget this pair even existed.

But they will always be a pair of shoes which only ever knew the feel of my feet. The only pair which followed me every step of the way. The only pair who know every last detail, of the story of what is proving to be the most bizarre year of my life so far.

This is not a deep, philosophical account of the nature of footwear, I just never truly appreciated how many journeys require a good pair of shoes. Thank you shoes... you served me well. I hope I served you just as much too. :-)

Lee.