Just Like Mr. Rogers' Shoes...

Sitting in my car changing my shoes, I thought of good ole Mister Rogers. I reminded myself of him, changing into my more comfortable shoes. Boy has my perception of shoes changed. Back in the day, my main concern when it came to shoes: cuteness. Shoes didn't have to fit well or be comfortable. I could walk in uncomfortable shoes all day long and not be discouraged about wearing them again. I would look at others' shoes and be a bit perplexed when their shoe game didn't meet my standards. From there, I would judge them, "Oh Lawd, please don't let that ever be me!" When we were young, a few friends couldn't believe that I could wear heels period, let alone all day. Equating high-heeled, hella cute shoes with youth was my default.

I still remember thinking about my mother's shoes, penny loafers, and wondering how she could wear them for almost every occasion. Now I know, comfort matters. As my thinking transitions from cute to comfort, I find it really hard to balance the two. Comfortable shoes are rarely cute and if they are, they are super expensive or do not fit my feet. All my life my feet have been long and skinny: a Nordstrom, mail-order-custom type of foot. And you know what that means; extraordinarily high prices line the box of almost any shoe that fits my foot and style. 

On the bright side, I have feet to be thankful for. Big, skinny feet that deserve to be comfortable. So, no matter what, I will keep my feet focused on comfort.

Thank you, Mr. Rogers 💙