Have you noticed, for many of us, throwing away a pair of old shoes is not the easiest?
We have bought the new replacement shoes, but!
Shoes tell stories. They are a treasure trove of memories.
The older the shoes, the deeper the memories.
Places I have walked.
People I have walked with.
I have a pair of trainers that are well past their use-by date. However, wearing these trainers, I walked in the Footsteps of St Paul through Tarsus, Corinth, Philippi, Cappadocia, Ephesus, and other towns and cities.
Each Saturday morning, I slip my feet into these shoes, and as I tie the laces, I remember the people I walked with, the places we went, and the events we shared—like a hot-air balloon ride over the terrain of Cappadocia.
The shoe details tell their story.
Perhaps it is the little scuff mark on the toe of the left shoe that happened the very first day it was worn.
The little flecks of blue paint that remind me of the front fence painted.
That persistent patch of gum that remains stuck to the bottom of the shoe.
That shadow of a mark where I desperately attempted to erase a small stain.
And of course, the more I rubbed in desperation the more the marked showed.
Most of all, shoes speak of comfort.
My feet slip into them, and I am immediately relaxed. The shoe and my foot are one.
When we go on a morning or evening walk, we always tend to put on an old pair of shoes that are familiar to our feet and comfortable to no end. I feel pampered in a good, reliable old pair of shoes.
When you buy a new pair of shoes, free of dirt, stains, and marks, you are starting a new story.
The only way that story grows is by wearing the new shoes.
At first, they pinch a little, feel rigid, unpliable and may even have a “new shoe squeak”.
Of course, the only way the new shoe will become less rigid and more pliable is through constant wear.
Dirt and debris accumulate on them over time—things you can’t erase, no matter which wipes or soap you use.
Eventually, they become comfortable.
St. Paul to the fledgling Christian community in the city of Ephesus writes, “ put away your old self, and clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God.” (Eph.4:22 -24)
The only way the “new self” becomes comfortable is if I dare leave the “old self” on the wardrobe floor!
This “new self” will initially feel uncomfortable, a little pinched, perhaps rigid and unpliable.
Allow this “new self” to acquire dirt and debris; walk through a muddy puddle! Best of all, let this “new self” accumulate some stains – comfort is assured!