Once upon a time, early on a Wednesday morning as my first period students settled inside my classroom, I’ll BE gosh DARNED if my next door neighbor sister didn’t strut her first-period-conference-having self down the hallway in some HIGH HEELED LEOPARD BOOTIES.
Wednesday... we don't play like this.
I told her I liked them and she looked cute.
I did.
She did.
This is them.
She said she stole them from her mom who happens to be the MOST PRECIOUS CANADIAN PERSON I KNOW, and it’s not even because I don’t know a lot of Canadians.
All this before zero eight hundred hours on the hump day.
I love her. Not in a weird way. I love her because she gets me. She totally gets how I would take one of these kids home with me if it meant having a roof over their head and running water. She possibly has first hand experience ;) This sister also gets me because, given the opportunity, she’d smack a kid upside the noggin when they need it.
Sister loves strong. I’ve seen it.
Sister grew up in our small town and went to school with my brother, making her 2 years my junior. My brother says, “She’s really smart.” Well. Good. For. Sister. She’s smart AND rocking the LEOPARD HIGH HEELED BOOTIES ON THE HUMP DAY.
I went about my day not giving the booties much thought since, well, I teach middle schoolers and by default they require a lot of time/energy. So, it wasn’t until the end of the day when I noticed...
Sister was rockin’ some WHITE SOCKS.
Momma's Sam Edelman's had clocked out well before 5 o'clock. I was proud of Sister. I think maybe her feet hurt. So she unzipped, escaped and left all sorts of cuteness alone on the floor of her classroom. She traipsed around Jacksonville Middle School in all sorts of Hanes-her-way glory.
This is life. This is marriage. This parenthood. This is every day.
We begin with hope, optimism and really cute shoes. But things change. They don't necessarily get worse or better, but they change. And sometimes we give and love and serve too huge that the super cute leopard booties can't keep up! Yes, you read that right. The love and giving and service to other humans for an eternal purpose can take a toll on the manufactured footwear of the high heeled variety.
As much as I admired Sister's footwear Wednesday morning, it was the sight of her toes wrapped in white cotton that rallied the human connection for me. I felt like giving her a standing ovation for rockin' that level of cuteness mid-week at a middle school, but even more so for choosing to abandon cuteness and proceed in comfort.
The message I want for my daughter is this:
Wear the booties.
Every single day of your life... wake up and wear the LEOPARD HIGH HEELED BOOTIES. A girl's shoes are pertinent.
But remember, when you're tired and your feet hurt don't stop living and loving. Leave the shoes on the floor and come back for them later. It would be a tragedy if cute shoes slowed you down. Especially if there's a chance your white socks could inspire someone... FROM THIS SIDE OF THIRTY.