Shoes

     If I like something, clothes, shoes, I tend to wear them until they wear out. So, I don't always see the need to buy new ones all of the time. Granted, I'm unemployed so I am careful with how I spend the money that I have. However today I realized the importance of shoes.

     My dad passed away almost three months ago. Wow, strange to say/write that, but there it is. It's kind of sad. I think about him often, and sometimes those thoughts make me happy, and other times it makes me sad. 

     I have one pair of black flats. I love to wear them for all church Sunday activities because they are incredibly comfortable and cute. The rest of my black shoes have high heels, and I don't like to wear high heals, they are not as comfortable. 

     When my dad passed, I packed my favorite pair of black flats to wear to his funeral. I didn't think twice about it. However I forgot to factor in UT in the winter. The area where his grave is was plowed for us, yet there was A LOT of mud. It was gross. So after the funeral, as I was packing up to go back to NJ, I noticed my lovely shoes were no longer lovely; they were covered in mud. So I wrapped each one in a plastic grocery bag and went on my way. 
     When I got home I unpacked and took my shoes into my bathroom. When I pulled them out of the bag I was instantly reminded of my dad and that day. I didn't have the heart to clean my lovely black shoes. So I put them back in the bags and tucked them under my sink. I left them there until today. So, for the past three months I have worn all of my different kinds of shoes to church, black, brown, and all of them have high heels. I didn't realize it, but I wasn't ready to clean my shoes that I wore that cold day in UT, burying my dad. 

     Today, I went into the city for the first time in three months and needed to wear good shoes that would allow me to walk around NYC in, so you guessed it, I washed my shoes today. Today was the perfect day to wash them, because I started working as an ordinance worker in the Manhattan Temple. I thought it was the perfect way to "break in" wearing my shoes again. It actually made me smile today while washing them, and thinking of my dad. My dad would have loved to know that I was finally working in the temple, as I have wanted to for many years. Here I am, right outside the NYC temple after my shift at the temple tonight.

  I know I look a bit tired, but it was an amazing experience and I can't wait to go back next Friday. (Wearing my lovely back shoes!)