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Friday, August 21, 2009

Shoe Prints



Ah, perspective.

Such a big word. A powerful word. A word that’s become increasingly meaningful to me.

I suspect that as each one of us grows older (and hopefully wiser), we gain a greater understanding of what it means to put things into perspective and find silver linings. I wonder, though, if Ellie has intensified that process of growth for me.

If you’re a faithful blog-reader of mine, then you’re already well aware of my LACK of perspective on the bad days. It’s the first thing to disappear into the gloomy clouds of sadness and selfishness.

Yet, on the good days (which usually outnumber the bad, thank goodness), it’s the little things that tweak my perspective and cause me to find new blessings.

Like shoes.

Dirty shoes.

When Richard and I were first married, I was constantly harping on him to take his shoes off in the entrance. I quickly realized that taking off your shoes when entering a house is not a southern thing to do. Even after a rain storm. Up here in the north, though, leaving your shoes on inside someone’s house is a sign of disrespect. Nine months out of the year, you’d be tracking dirty snow and salt into the house, so as not to upset the residents (read: spouse), taking your shoes off at the door is usually a good idea.

You know who WASN’T scolded for leaving her shoes on inside the house yesterday?

My sweet Ellie.

Rather, I smiled with thankfulness as my baby girl tracked in the mud. Dirt on her shoes and dirt on all four of her walker’s wheels. GLORIOUS.

When I sold a bunch of too-small Ellie-shoes at my garage sale a few months ago, a couple of bargain hunters commented on how clean each pair was. I remember my heart sinking, knowing that the shoes of three-year-olds are SUPPOSED to be grimy, not shiny.

Well, sorry to tell ya, future shoppers, but it looks like any little girl shoes sold at subsequent garage sales won’t be white and shiny! YAY!


(By the way, Richard, you STILL need to remove YOUR shoes…)

6 comments:

Richard said...

I've never been so happy to see muddy shoes! :)

And as a side note... I **DO** remove my shoes... now it's that I have too many of them cluttering things in the entryway. Curse you, large feet o' mine!

Jennifer said...

What a GREAT summer your little girl is having! so many changes.... God is good! Even when we think the progress is slow and that He's not always coming through, He is! what a reason to celebrate!! and Richard, don't worry. I'm the one at my house who doesn't remove her shoes. Eric and I differ in opinion, but I figure, I'm the one who cleans so don't worry about it!!! :-)

Me said...

How precious! We'll keep on praying for Ellie to have LOTS of REALLY DIRTY shoes. ;-)

Sheila said...

Oh, how I can relate to this post! Love those dirty shoes!

K D said...

Thank you so much for sharing. You brought tears to my eyes. I hope my Kelsey will do the same someday!

Amy said...

OH, how I get that!! Our shoes are still way too clean!! They look brand new!! Here's to many more really dirty shoes!! Love this post!!