I have found that shoes and attitudes have a lot in common.
I like shoes. It comes naturally. My father was a shoe repairman, as was his father, and his grandfather. Shoes are a family business. I grew up going to my father’s shoe shop and playing with equipment that would send shivers down a safety officer’s spine—sanders, nibblers, and industrial grade sewing machines. This was the early 1970s though, seatbelts and bike helmets weren’t in the picture much either.
Jogging was also big back then and running shoes were advancing beyond “sneakers.” Running was so big at the time, that some even did it naked-streaking. My guess is that the idea to run nude resulted from that great runner’s high you get. Then again, it was the 1970s and it might have been an entirely different high. What did I know? I was just a kid.
Even though I would eventually go off to law school, shoes would, and have remained a part of who I am. I also have a strong belief in elves, it runs in our family, but that’s another story.
This last Christmas I received a new pair of shoes, a brand I haven’t worn since I was a teenager-Converse All-Stars. They are a special Andy Warhol edition. His iconic Campbell’s Soup Cans artwork is reproduced on them. I fell in love! What a cool blend of art, pop culture, and nostalgia!
Shoes are more than a fashion or personal statement. They are your foundation and the means of getting from here to there. Depending on where you want to go, the right shoe is important. If you are going hiking, a good pair of hiking boots makes it possible to traverse all kinds of terrain and climb mountains. A good pair of running shoes makes all the difference on a run.
A good mental attitude is a lot like the right pair of shoes. It serves as your foundation, says something about your character, and makes it possible to get from here to there. If you don’t like the shoes you are wearing, you can change them. I have found the same goes for mental attitudes. You can always change your attitude to the one that makes it possible for you to get from here to there.
The right shoes, like the right attitude, can really get you places.
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