You and Your Shoes

Today I spent close to 12 hours in airports and airplanes...that's half a day (yeah I learned a little something in grade school). While there I focused on something that I realized a while back and had forgotten about; you can tell a lot about someone by the shoes on their feet. Shoes speak volumes about who you are, where you're from, and what point in life you're at. They can be everything from a fashion statement to a status symbol; seriously take some time to look at your own shoes sometime, more specifically your favorite pair. What do they say about you? I'm going to use my old reeboks for an example. They are beat up, warn down, have character, been around the block/world, broken in, but they keep truckin' along just like the first day I strapped them on my feet. They remind me of myself, my attitude, and my life. I've always argued that I am no more important or better than anyone else walking this earth. Those shoes remind of that fact every time I see 'em. God, Allah, or whatever your particular brand of religious tea didn't make any one of us above the rest (yeah you can argue that the Hindu caste system speaks otherwise, but I don't agree with that religion in that regard). Whether you have a $500 dollar pair of Gucci loafers or a pair of Walmart Adidas knockoffs, no one deserves to live life more than anyone else. I'm not trying to preach here, and so don't take it as being that way. I'm not saying you should feel bad for wearing nice shoes (I have a few pairs of shoes that in my opinion are "nice"). All I want is for you to at some point in your life; look down at the shoes that carry you through life and think about what they say about you. Maybe you have a pair of boots that give you confidence; a pair of running shoes that smell bad, but have been loyal to you for hundreds miles; a pair of vans that set you and your style apart from everyone else; or a pair of nice dress shoes that you bought with hard earned cash. Whatever style, brand, color, or size they are; they are you and no one should ever be able to change that.

Now that I am home from visiting the family in PA, all I have left is to count down the days till I leave (5 days to be exact). Each day that goes by I get more anxious, but I don't know about what exactly...I do know that I'll figure it out someday. May not be tomorrow, the day I get there, or till months after I get back; I just know when it hits me I'll realize it...

I read a vietnamese quote that I am gonna do my best to live by while I'm over there. In my oh so humble opinion, it is some of the wisest words of advice that can be spoken while you are interacting in this world:

"You learn by looking and listening as opposed to talking. That's why you have two ears, two eyes, and only one mouth."

Song of the Moment: Dayvan Cowboy - Boards of Canada