Rugged Pair of Sneakers

I open the closet and look through my shoe rack. I see about 10 pairs of footwear: sandals, slippers, sneakers, boots, and all the like. A modest collection, but still more than enough to wear in one day. There was once a time though, when all I would ever buy were shoes. I didn’t realize my obsession, until my sister noted the enormous amount of shoes piling up in the back room. So I created a therapy to save myself from becoming a shoe-holic. I tried as best as I could to avoid malls, altogether yielding me from the temptation of bringing home just one more pair of cute mules.

Even with my shoe obsession, it wasn’t until my near frostbite experience this winter that I realized how crucial choosing the right shoe was for your survival. Picking out the perfect shoe is just like finding that perfect partner to stroll this walk of life with. It’s not until you’ve inspected every aisle of every shoe store, that you can go home with those fresh smelling pair of leather, with a wide grin, and a feel of content. Your face lights up knowing you've found the perfect pair you’ve been looking for all along…

Well, in case you’re interested, here’s a short story of my winding shoe shopping experience...

The first shoe I came across was a pair of Keds. Years ago, having a pair of Keds would’ve been a swell thing. But who cares about them now? Are they even still in stores? I don’t know! Well, the Keds I found were just the right color, the right size; really nice and comfortable. In short, it was durable and reliable. These were the type of Keds that, even without my nagging, my mom would instantly ring up at the cash register. But to her disappointment, I didn’t think a pair of Keds was the right brand for me. At least not at that stage of my life. Maybe they just didn’t fit my style, or my personality. So, I quickly took those Keds off, in exchange for a cute pair of sandals.

These sandals seemed to fit perfectly also, but they were unquestionably the wrong color. Nevertheless, I tried hard to make them look good on me. Little did I know though, that those sandals were only for me to borrow. So shortly after, I gave the sandals back to their rightful owner, knowing that they wouldn’t have been very useful during the winter after all.

Then came along a great pair of mules. They were really stylish. They fit me perfectly, made my feet look slim, and made me look a lot taller. Again, the only problem was color. But they felt great, really! I loved these mules so much, I wore them just about every single day, for the next couple of years. It was not until recently though, that I opened my eyes and realized my perfect mules were getting worn out. One of its straps went out of place. I was still determined to fix them. I didn't want to let them go. I dropped my beloved mules at the closest Stop n Go, and asked to have the strap sewn back. Not long after, I wore my mules with pride again. Only this time they felt a little tighter around my feet. The longer I wore them, the more suffocated I became. I figured if they still looked great, I’d just deal with the slight hurting. But finally, like a sign from the sky, the heels of my favorite mules broke off. You know, like what happened in the Mentos commercial! So I guess, there wasn’t any other choice but to retire them. I had them fixed and gave them up for charity though. So perhaps now, a poor widow or orphan is happily wearing them.

Well I’m in a pair of great stilettos, now. You know, the ones with the pointed tip and really sleek heels. One look at them on your feet and you’ll get this breathtakingly stunning feel. I’ll tell you one thing though, even if these stilettos make you look utterly appealing, they make you feel quite shallow inside. These are stilettos you wear when you just wanna have fun, go out, get drunk, and not think at all. Try walking more than two blocks in them, and you’re sure to get strained. Don’t expect too much of these stilettos, they’ll only last for 3-4 months. The rest will be history. As long as you realize they won’t last forever, then you should be alright.

In the back of my head though, I keep dreaming of a pair of Cinderella slippers that I once found myself staring into. These glass slippers are ultimately beautiful, a true work of art. Its features amaze you. They make you laugh and smile at the same time. They give you this nice warm feel. And they make you dream and dream and dream. All I could ever wish for is to bring these slippers home, to keep, take care of, and adore. They are however, the most fragile piece of work; in need of great attention. They are easily approachable but truly untouchable. Not unless, of course, they are willing to be touched. Those are my great magical slippers. Still full of possibilities. Only time will tell, what will happen to them.

So, what is it I’m looking for? I think it all comes down to those perfect pair of sneakers. Comfy & stylish. The rugged pair that fit you exactly. The pair that molds and adapts itself to the shape of your feet. The ones with shoe laces that forever binds to your feet. The ones that you eventually discover you never want to take off. That’s the sneaker I’m in search of. The one that’s eternally loyal and sticks with you through all times, all weather! Could my magic slippers ever evolve to become the sneakers I long for? Maybe yes, maybe no. Meanwhile, I'll just keep walking through the aisles and aisles of sneakers in that great shoe universe out there. I’ll keep my eyes open, so I don't miss my soon to be rugged pair of sneakers!