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One thing we’re not using much of these days,
is shoes. I don’t know about you, but I’m mostly going barefoot around the
house.
Shoe wear is optional while we remain sequestered in our homes.
A comfy pair of sneakers stays parked at the door for the walk to
the mailbox, or a walk around the block; other than that, my work shoes are lying
dormant in the hall closet.
There's an artist in Fort Myers, Florida, who is busy painting sandals with messages of love and hope, decorating them with jewelry and then stringing them onto a line. Her name is Annette Brown, and her message is simple: "I think everybody needs to reach inside themselves and create something because we are all artists in whatever form."
Annette's neighbors are stepping up, decorating sneakers and pumps and sandals, creating visual reminders of creativity and survival.
It has become an outdoor gallery of curated shoe art. People are out walking, and they are looking up.
Life-giving messages are written, painted and glued onto the shoes to spread cheer for all passers by.
Shoes are a pretty accurate reflection of our personalities – much like your own hand written signature, they are a unique
identifier.
On a walk recently I
came across an old, worn out pair of men’s work boots on a neighbor’s front
porch. The leather was cracked, their soles were split and their laces tattered.
Even so, they looked amazing.
Because inside of them, some creative person
had planted a bright bunch of impatiens.
The flowers nodded in
the breeze as if to say, “Look! We can re-purpose anything, even this old pair
of shoes!”
New life inside of
worn out containers.
No longer serviceable
for feet, yet perfectly whimsical to hold a cluster of perennials.
We’re kind of like
that: our bodies feel worn out at times, like a pair of old shoes.
Tired, achy, holding
the shape of a hug from six feet away.
If we think of our
weary souls as conduits for beauty, then maybe we can feel a new infusion of
love, peace, kindness and growth. With good soil, water, sunshine and God's provision, a worn out soul can be rejuvenated.
We, like that shabby
pair of work shoes, are quietly being re-purposed for the future.
Things are being
planted in us that will declare our resilience and delight others when we are all back together.
Wiggle your toes and
step into that.
"Good Shoes Take You To Good Places"
Seo Min Hyun
Jodi Jensen, watercolor artist
This blog supports www.booksforbondinghearts.com/shop, timely gifts for all seasons. Please visit the link to see my seasonal books, the "Breath of Joy! series. Breath of Joy! Singing Spring is a favorite this time of year.
I haven't thought about that until now, but you're right! I hardly wear shoes at all now and I like it.
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