Shoes

Shoes. They are nothing more than lifeless objects that are touching the dirty ground so that your feet don’t have to, and keep your feet warm and away from stepping into sharp stones, biting insects and the filth of the streets.

How important are your shoes?

Sometimes it takes a lot of shopping to find a right pair that looks exactly how you like it: you have to visit several shops, try on many different ones, walk in them a little without the obligation to buying anything, and also happens that you will even need to return the pair you have bought, because when you start to wear it, it will turn out that the size is wrong, or you find a manufacturing fault – or somehow you can’t make friends with them, they are not how you have imagined it in the shop and you change your mind.

Every now and then however, you find The Shoes, the ones that feel just right on your feet, and you love the feeling they give you when you wear them.

When you finally found The Pair that you are very happy with and you start wearing it, first it might take some time for your feet and for the new shoes to learn each others’ way, and that doesn’t always go smoothly: your skin might get sores and blisters.

It can be even so bad that it is very painful to walk and you feel you can’t – for sure, you don’t want to put on shoes!

But that phase will pass and your shoes now will fit onto your feet like the finest silk gloves on your hands.

You walk in them with bouncing, confident, comfortable, striding or dancing steps, you know your feet are safe and protected. You look terrific, and you gleam with knowing that. Without your shoes on, you would look and feel very awkward, unfinished, but having your perfect footwear on, will complement or even define your entire outfit.

Cinderella 2015

Maybe it took a great sacrifice from you to acquire these dress shoes, boots, loafers, heels, pumps, sandals or sneakers, maybe you had to work hard for the price – but you are certain of that it was worth all your effort.

They belong together: your feet and your shoes.

The world is wonderful when you walk in your shoes. The sunshine is smiling back at you from them.

You take good care of your treasure: clean them, pamper them with creams and sprays, store them properly, air them.

When you discover a small crack or spot on your shoes, you will quickly find out where the problem is and find the best ways to fix it; either you can do it yourself or you will have to take it to a professional who will repair it for you.

You want to wear your precious ones for the longest possible time, don’t you?

Because by now, you love your shoes.

The one thing that would not even cross your mind when you discover that something is wrong with your shoes, is to throw them away. You would make sure it get fixed and if needed, over and over again – your shoes have somehow become a part of you, they mean more to you now than just any pair of shoes.

You have tamed your shoes, like the Little Prince had the Fox.

You would only consider parting from your broken shoes when you have exhausted all the possibilities of repair, they can’t be mended any more and there is absolutely no way you can keep wearing them.

Although it does take your time, energy, attention and some money to take care of your shoes, not to mention cherishing a favorite item – you do it anyway, that’s the only thing that makes sense to you.

Can you think about if there is anything else in our life that would deserve as much attention and care from us as a pair of shoes?

Prague, 2015 October 20

— Andrea Gerák