This is not a “walk a mile in my . .” post.  It’s actually about shoes. I think that shoes say something about the person who wears them.  For instance, now that I have had foot surgery, twice, I only wear shoes that my orthotic inserts fit into easily. I rarely go barefoot anymore and shoes have become the vehicle for my mobility.  I have three styles now, athletic, dressy,

(which now amounts to basically a slightly clunky Mary Jane) and another, less “fancy” old lady black pair to wear with pants.  I call them “old lady” shoes because that is what they look like to me. But do I want to wear them? You bet I do! They keep my feet feeling good and I have healthy feet because of them.

Some people don’t even like wearing them and only do so when necessary.  The minute they hit home, they are off! Other people, like a friend of mine, have been told by the doctor to wear them all the time, except for in bed.  But these are just reasons for why we wear, or don’t wear them.

There are also people who wear only certain shoes because of fashion and identity.  Teens fit into this category perfectly. They can even be considered a status symbol.  Teens and adults alike can have very particular tastes in footwear. I find this fascinating because they really do tell a story about a person’s lifestyle.  

I once worked with a woman that only wore shoes with at least 3-inch heels.  She was young and unwilling to heed warnings of what damage they could do to her feet.  I haven’t seen her in years, but still worry about her. I have worked in senior residential facilities and watched people go from walking unaided, to using a cane, to a walker, to a motorized wheelchair to having someone push them in one.  Mobility is something that nobody wants to lose. While for some it may be inevitable, there are things we can do to help ourselves. Our feet need support and protection from the elements. We should try and give them what they need so that they will give us a long life of usefulness.

I have always loved shoes.  My Italian grandfather was a cobbler and did shoe repair when people wore leather soles and didn’t have money to buy new ones.  Whenever we got a new pair we had to show them to my grandpa and get his opinion. It was special.

Today, shoes are much more than something one wears to protect their feet.  That’s perfectly fine as long as we remember that your feet carry you, not the other way around.