MY SHOES......
This woman squeezed by me in the narrow aisle of the shoe store. Surrounded by a sea of sandals in every shape and color. She had on sandals in an orange color with a multicolored weave and it looked like the sandals had found their home on her feet. I complimented her. She said "I would buy more of these if I could find them." She wasn't having any more luck than I was at finding the next great pair of sandals. I said to her I'm not the kind of woman who enjoys shoe shopping. I thought to myself - did I just say that? - how depressing. I must be an alien woman - don't all women love buying shoes? Oh, I get it - I've been manipulated by mass marketing to believe I must love buying shoes in order to be a perfect woman. I may need an attitude adjustment just to make shoe shopping easier- but it's true my feet find it hard to shoe shop.
I have fantasies about wearing sparkly narrow flat little flip flops. Or some of the sandals that have such nice designs on the edge and look so good on someone else's feet. The flip flops just don't give my feet enough support and after a battle with plantar fasciitis I don't even bother looking at them. The other sandals don't work because most times that attractive cut out design on the side causes my pinky toe to poke out.
My preferred sandal is a Birkenstock. There is an arch support molded into them. I never have trouble with my baby toe hanging out the side. Yet, I've become tired of them as a fashion statement. Well, lets face it - they really aren't much of a fashion statement - unless one is sticking with the 60's forever. So, I was in search for a new dressier pair of sandals.
Where I wanted to go was the section of Teva sandals. Ah, yes you are getting me now......I prefer comfort over style. Yes, be afraid, be very afraid -- I fear I may end up wearing old ladies sandals before my time. I know Teva sandals are not old lady sandals - they are sporty things you can walk through rivers and hike through canyons wearing. They also don't bother my arch and they have adjustable straps. What more could a girl want? Except a lighter color. The black Tevas get hot in the southwest sun!
Lo and behold a beige Teva! - oh, not my size. I had them check the other store and yes, they have my size. So the next day and 10 miles to the other side of town I went. While the salesclerk was getting the shoes I pulled out two other pairs of dressier sandals. One was an immediate dislike on my foot. The other was the taos - heaven on my foot. Okay this taos sandal isn't very dressy - and it certainly isn't a fantasy shoe - but it will work and it feels good on my feet.
After a long sweaty afternoon in one shoe store I was able to go to the other store and in 20 minutes buy two new pairs of sandals. Ah, I will still fantasize about the cute colorful sandals I wish I could wear. I may even branch out into dreaming about a high healed beauty. And if you are a woman who can wear almost any sandal and especially if you are the sales girl who helped me at the second store - thank your lucky stars for the feet you have that can wear such wonderfully happy sparkly flip flops. Yet, I know I am happy in my new sandals and grateful my feet don't hurt all the time.
my new sandals - ta da!!!!!!
Just as a side note - I don't think I will ever be able to wear certain shoes due to needing arch support. However, I began practicing yoga last year. My teacher tells us all the time to spread our toes out. That is hard to do at first. She also reminds me to balance the weight on my foot out to my little toe and that has done wonders for the arch in my foot. Thank you Meta.
And thank you to Laini and Megg for this walking scribbling topic - go check out the other scribbles
