The Shoes That Brought Me Here
I came into this world barefoot, but after that – it was the shoes that brought me here. My parents welcomed me with love and a little trepidation (I was the first girl after three boys) and immediately slipped a pair of pink, crocheted, baby booties over my feet. Since then, my life has been a blur of shoes – slippers, mary janes, tennis shoes, sandals, heels, flats, boots, and flip flops. Sometimes I think I can remember every pair. And they each tell a story.
White Leather High Tops
11 ½ months old
This walking thing is harder than it looks, but I’m determined to make it to that toy over there. I don’t know why Mommy keeps moving it farther away but I guess she knows what she’s doing.
Pink Canvas Keds
5 years, 3 months old
I just know my new Kindergarten teacher will love the new shoes Mommy and I picked out. I hope the other girls in my class like them too. Maybe they will play with me and we can be friends!
White Patent Leather Mary Janes, with a heel
12 years, 4 days old
I’ve been looking forward to this Sunday for a couple years now. I’m finally leaving the church primary and going to the Young Women’s class. Mom bought me my first pair of high heels especially for this week and she taught me how to shave my legs. Some of the girls have been doing it for a while but I had to wait until I was twelve, just like getting my ears pierced. I hope my ears stop hurting soon. I wonder if Adam will notice me today.
Black Ballet Flats with sparkles
14 years, 6 days old
I hate being the youngest in my class! My friends have been going to the Saturday night dances for months while I stayed home. Finally it’s my turn and Dad is driving us all tonight. Mom even got me those cute shoes I’ve been wanting. Maybe Rob will ask me to dance – or should I ask him? If nobody asks me to dance I’ll be so embarrassed!
Softball Cleats
17 years, 4 months old
Oh, I’m so nervous! The team has worked so hard this season and we are finally going to the state tournament this weekend. I hope I can get a few hits and I swear I’m not letting anything past me in the field. Kalli is hoping the scouts will see her and she will get some scholarship offers. I’m not sure I want to play forever, but free tuition sounds pretty good to me.
Brown Leather Birkenstocks
18 years, 3 months old
I can’t believe I’m finally here in college. I’ve been so ready to get away from my family for a while and they dropped me off at my dorm last week. And now they haven’t even called me in like two or three days! I miss Jason and my friends; thank goodness Laura is here with me. The girls in my dorm seem pretty cool and I’ve actually seen a lot of cute guys around.
Black Heels
25 years, 9 months old
Well, after seven years I’m finally graduating. It was worth it, I guess. I definitely loved college, I just wish I could have finished a few years ago. Oh well, neither of my engagements worked out so at least I finished before getting married. And I’m pretty excited to start my first real professional job. Mom and Dad seem proud of me and Dad says I don’t have to pay him back for the car, since I actually finished.
White Satin Slippers with rhinestones
26 years, 8 months old
Today is the big day – I can’t believe Matt and I are starting our life together! Our families are here and everyone is so excited. All the details seem to be in place for the reception and it should be beautiful. Matt has the honeymoon all booked but won’t tell me anything; he wants it to be a surprise. He is such a sweetie! I feel like the luckiest woman in the world.
Navy Flip Flops
28 years, 11 months old
Wow, my feet are so swollen! I had no idea pregnancy could change your feet two shoe sizes. I can’t wear any of my cute shoes anymore, just flip flops. Okay, so that’s what I usually wear anyway. But I even have to wear them to church. We’re getting pretty close now and I can’t wait to meet my beautiful little girl! I have her room all ready and our bags packed for the hospital. I bought her the cutest pair of pink, crocheted, baby booties.
8 comments:
Your title and picture reminded me of the corrective shoes that were the rage in the 70s that my parents put me in as I was learning to walk. Doctors sold them to prevent children being pigeon toed and I'm sure it was a scam. I hadn't thought of that in years.
So, I think it's really cool how you've made this fictional, and love the flipflops!
Have to say I feel like Scribbit made the wrong comment -- seems like she meant to make this comment on one of the other entries; I mean, how could your title and those booties be like orthotics? Doesn't make sense.
Cute post, I was just reminded of the corrective shoes my mom or doctor made me wear as a child. Hmmm, I hated those clunky bulky shoes! Good thing I don't have to wear those anymore.
Happy day,
Melissa
Shoes and stages -- such a neat parallel. I never wore Birkenstocks; I went to college during the (gulp) high heels and tight jeans era, unfortunately. When we weren't wearing heels, it was sweats, cloth slippers, and legwarmers. Disco meets Flasdance...sad, I know.
I love this post Tara! You are very talented! Thanks for visiting my blog!
Tara,
Mindy's mom, here. What a fun post! And you didn't bother me at all on Sunday. I've had 5 kids, you see, and one beautiful granddaughter, so not a worry.
I haven't blogged for way too long. Got to get to it. Mindy is shy about the book thing, so ease into it:)
So are we all writers at heart?
Nice, Tara! It must feel good to write just for fun. Aside from my journal, I don't know if I've ever done that. You've inspired me to try it sometime. Miss you!
I really enjoyed reading this, and it even brought tears to my eyes as I thought back on my life. It brought back a lot of memories. Did you really wear Burkinstocks? Very creative and in it's own way captivating
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