The Shoes Left On The Bench
As I was leaving class one hot summer night, there they were-a pair of black shoes left alone on a bench. This foot apparel looked like medium height heels, black leather with see through slots. I thought:
“ Who could have left them ? “
Did the wearer of the shoes just have tired feet and thus discarded them ? Was it accidental or intentional that the shoes were left there?
I also wondered what type of person wore these shoes . Was it a professional person, a student, possibly a homeless person -given the neighborhood of the school ?
The clothes and the shoes we wear can tell you a lot about the person. Are they conscientious, fastidious about how they look or is there a more casual attitude about their appearance ?
One can also wonder where have these shoes been ? Where has the person walked in these shoes- to home, work, school, church, travel or perhaps to court ?
If you walk in the sand, you leave footprints. All of us are leaving footprints, leaving our own imprint on the world. The question that can be raised is
“ What type of imprint do you want to leave ? “
“ What type of appearance do you want to convey ? “
Many people live their lives at such a fast and furious pace that these questions never get a chance to be asked, let alone examined.
Recently, I attended a meeting at a rural church, one that featured an adjacent cemetery. I arrived early,, and so I wandered through one section of the cemetery looking at the headstones. I passed some plots where those who were buried died in their late teens, some expired in their 50’s, others in their 60’s.
What I noticed is that with some of the grave markers, there were personal mementoes that were left- pottery, a ceramic tractor, toys, pictures. The display reminded me very much of the familial displays you will see during the Día de los Muertos celebration usually held in late October.
As I walked through the cemetery, I thought about what are we leaving behind ? I also considered what can we do to live our lives more fully with the time that we have been given ?
Again, I think back to the pair of shoes left on the bench outside the school building. When I passed the same spot a day later, the shoes were gone.
What kind of foot steps are we making in life ?
Are others following us and walking in our direction ?
Shoes are important to keep our feet safe and in condition.
May we always be conscious about taking the right steps in life now and always.
May it be so.
