Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
The Spiritual Lesson of a Pair of Shoes
I bought some really expensive shoes last week. Really expensive, really ugly. So sad. My feet have been killing me, so I took the advice of my podiatrist, among others, and went and bought some very sensible shoes. They remind me of the shoes the nuns used to wear. I loathe them, but they help.
I was really resistant at first, not only because they are so ugly, but also because, over the course of my career, I’ve helped several clients let go of similar shoes and orthotic insoles that they bought when they were having foot problems. (In New York City, having foot problems is like having your car break down in other parts of the country: a crisis.) I remember how hard it was for them to let go of the shoes, even though they admitted that they never wore them anymore, because they were so expensive. But of course, if you aren’t wearing something, you shouldn’t keep it.
There’s a harsh, minimalist part of me that thinks: This is it: You’re old. You can throw out all those other shoes—the flats, the wedges, the kitten heels. You’ll only ever wear this pair of shoes. One pair of shoes. Forever. Period. How’s that for minimalism?
But a wise friend set me straight. For better or for worse, our bodies, from our toes to the tips of our graying hair, are always changing. These shoes are just a stop on my journey. Some of my prettier shoes may make the journey, but some of them will need to go. At the same time, my feet will change again, and I’ll probably need something else six months or a year from now. It dawned on me that one reason my clients have so many shoes is that while they buy new shoes for the feet they have today, they don’t let go of the ones from yesterday. I’m not going to rush out and buy more ugly shoes, because (hopefully) the sensible shoes I need tomorrow may be different from the sensible shoes I need today. And as always, it’s smarter to buy less, because when things change—as they always do—there will be less waste.
So what shoes do you really wear? What shoes should you wear? Which pairs can you let go of, because they’re no longer working, and which ones are comfortable and good looking? Because when your feet feel good, all things are possible.