Have you ever literally walked in someone else's shoes?

Today after school I had to rush for an appointment in a town close-by. To be honest I'm always in a hurry when driving but I absolutely love driving because it gives me time to think. I have not been feeling well these last few days so I was a little bit more irritated than usual. To top things off, when I climbed out of the car after I reached my destination my shoe broke and I literally had to walk into the doctor's office with only one shoe on.  Mind you it was old shoes, but it was actually my most comfortable pair of shoes, and it fit with most of my clothes.  

While walking into the hospital, people were staring at me and I just didn't care. My main goal was to get to the doctor's office and nothing was going to stop me.  

         

I explained the bizarre situation and everybody in reception just laughed, and it didn't really looked as if it bothered anyone.  After I finished I took of my other shoe and walked out barefoot. I was still not feeling well, so it didn't bother me at all, in fact I felt more comfortable because I am used to walking barefoot.  

The mall was just across the road from the hospital so I drove there to go and buy me a new pair of shoes. One thing I hate more than buying a bra, is buying shoes.  I liked my old shoes, and I was looking for something similar and as comfortable as my old shoes...needless to say it was a very painful experience. No new shoe is ever comfortable! I paid for the shoes, and obviously walked out with the pair of shoes.  

       

I had to walk at least 300 meters to get back to my car, and by the time I reached my car I literally wanted to throw away the new pair of expensive leather shoes, but I know in time it will stretch out and I just have to push through the first week!

These new shoes made me feel as if I was walking in someone else's shoes! 

Do you remember when we were small kids we always played dress up and always wore adult shoes in the game. Those tiny feet walking in high heel shoes, but we wanted to be smart so we walked proudly even though it was the most uncomfortable thing ever but we didn't care and refused to take off the shoes. 

          

Then later in life, when we started to grow up, shoes were passed on from brother to sister or vica versa. If the shoes fit, then you had to wear it.  Shoes were expensive and if they still looked good, then it was a sure thing that you would become the owner of the "old" pair of shoes, and you would wear them without a peep, because if you didn't you had to walk barefoot. It was your choice. 

What an awful experience to wear someone else's shoes! 

This whole experience today made me think about the time when I was a teacher in a small town in a farming community. The school where I taught was on a farm, and the kids in the school all came from parents who worked on the farms.  

These people had nothing, they were poor as church-mice, and they literally did not even have proper clothes to wear to school. It was mostly hand me downs and the shoes were the worst. In summer it was fine, because they walked barefoot, but in winter these poor kids suffered like crazy.  Some of them wore shoes that were two numbers too large, and some wore shoes that were definitely way too small. Even if they squashed their feet into those tiny shoes they didn't care because at least their feet were warm. It was all they had to wear. 

Today's experience made me feel grateful because I had the opportunity to go and buy new shoes. I did not have to wear someone's hand me downs or shoes that were too big or too small, I could buy shoes that I liked, and even though they might still be tight, one of these days they will be my favorite pair of shoes again.  

  

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