Day 627

It was finally, FINALLY time to say farewell to my tennis shoes! These amazing shoes have walked hundreds of miles with Goldens and I am quite attached. The soles are diminished, there are holes in the upper portion and the shoe laces have been chewed to smithereens by no other than Sammy! It was time, yet it was hard to chuck them in the trash!

Ever since childhood, I have had heartfelt connections with inanimate objects. Most would understand my love for teddy bears, keepsakes, jewelry and the like, but it is the other less-cuddly things that would be hard to understand.

For example, I cried when we traded in our last Subaru. As they drove it away, I thought of all the loved ones and memories turning the corner into some unknown garage. "Scooby ll" was such a good boy! See what I mean?

Of course, there are those precious, inanimate items that anyone would embrace. Dog collars from beloved pups in the past, cards from loved ones, a bag of Asher's baby clothes, rings handed down through the generations, and so much more are easily understood to bring meaning and memories...but old shoes?

Perhaps it has something to do with being a second generation "Depression Era" child. My folks remembered what it was like to need and want, so we grew up saving, reusing, recycling and getting by with as little as possible. Looking back on my childhood, it never felt like we went without, but it seemed our family was careful to not dispose of anything useable.

Whatever the reason, the challenge to throw something away was met and conquered. Goodbye to ripped and torn shoes! (If they had ANY wear left in them, I would have found them a new home!) Now it is time to attack those socks with holes...should I sew them or repurpose them? That is a decision for another day!

So, back I go to walking the Goldens with a newish pair of tennis shoes. This twosome is worn, but has no holes...yet!