Saturday, February 3, 2007

They don't walk in your shoes

I stumbled upon a story I thought I would like to share with all of you. This is from
Josh Hinds' http://www.getmotivation.com/

They don't walk in your shoes... Click, Click, Click!
We ducked into the dimly lit thrift shop to get out of the rain. Like so many things since our daughter's birth, I hadn't planned on a trip to this place. But I figured we'd see what they had since we were there.
"Hi, today is stuff a bag day. Would you like one?" The clerk asked.
"What is stuff a bag day?"
"You take a bag and stuff it with what ever you want and it's only $3. Best deal in town."
"Okay, sounds great," I said, despite the fact I hadn't planned on buying anything.
I took my six-year-old daughter's hand and we started to wander around. Suddenly there was a tug on my hand and my attention was being directed to the shoe section. She shares my weakness for shoes, so we stopped for a minute to look. I let go of her hand and she reached out to touch a pair of shiny black shoes with a strap and silver buckle.
"Buy me?" She inquires.
"Oh, Sweetie, they are tap shoes. You aren't taking tap."
"Buy me?" She repeats.
"Well, let's try them on."
She sits on the floor and removes her bright pink rain boots, with Barbie on the sides, and easily slides the new shoes on. A perfect fit. When she stands up she hears 'click.' She takes a step. Click, Click. Slowly recognition dawns, as she makes the connection between the shoes and her moving feet. Click, Click, Click.
"Buy me?" With a hopeful look in her eyes. Again, "Buy me, peas?"
"Okay Sweetie, take them off and put them in the bag."
We look around some more and get a few t-shirts, pants, books and games and a naked baby doll.
Well, it's stuff a bag day - might as well get my money's worth, I think to myself.
The sun has come back out as we emerge from our little side trip and we continue on our way. As we near the car, Amara reaches for the bag. As she climbs into the back seat, I give her the bag wondering what treasure she is looking for. The shoes, of course. She is my daughter after all.
"My wear."
It's not a question, so I took the tag off and helped her with the buckle. Our next stop was the grocery store and these shoes were made to make noise, especially on my little girl's feet. This could be interesting...
Click, Click, Click - people turn to look as we enter the store.
Click, Click, Click. I can feel the disapproving stares of the proper people. People who would never allow their daughter to wear tap shoes to the grocery store. I hold my head up with pride. The click, click, click is music to my ears.
"Excuse me dear. Is your daughter in tap this year?"
"No." I replied.
"Well why on earth would you allow her to wear tap shoes, here, of all places? They make such a noise."
"Yes, isn't it wonderful?"
"Wonderful? My dear, this is not the place to wear those shoes."
"Oh, I think this is the perfect place to wear them. You see she asked for them."
"Just because she asked for them, doesn't mean you have to get them for her."
"You don't understand," I said.
"When she was a baby, we were told she would never walk or talk. It has taken a lot of hard work and patience but she asked for the shoes and the click, click, click says that she can walk."
My daughter, who is always on the move, is 18 now and will graduate from grade 12 in June. It has not always been easy, but it has all been worthwhile. She has taught me that it doesn't matter what others think. They don't walk in your shoes.
And just like the ladies in the purple hats*, sometimes you simply have to wear tap shoes to the grocery store - if for nothing else, just the sheer joy of hearing the click, click, click.
* Ladies in purple hats are groups of women who have reached a certain age and now can allow themselves to enjoy life without fear of what others think.

Really touched me this story. Such gumption. I am not a lady but I sure would like to be one that Wears A Purple Hat. Would you?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Tony G, just a hello from a schoolmate up the Pineaple Hill. From your few posts in your (not)nearly new blog, I'm sure you will continue to share your priceless wit and humour with the rest of blogosphere. Wha..!!! Now even philosophy...?? I remember bumping into you at PDGC many years ago, and it was good to meet up, albeit for just some minutes.

Cheers
"Morais"

tony -stand-up philosopher said...

'Morais' if you are whom I think you are, nice to bump into you in blogsphere. The philosophies I'm quoting here in my blog are from the Johnny we all knew from school...not Johnny Lim ah! So do drop in more often and see if you know who this person is.

Anonymous said...

Tony, yes, it is I.....
Johnny Lim surely is not Johnny F. Last I heard JL was somewhere East in the land of the wild, the land of Project M.
Johnny F ... hmmm, **scratching head**. Give me a little time, the memory cells need some re-activation effort.
I had earlier come across reference to you recently at Rocky's Bru when he wrote on your recent family bereavement. My condolences. If you blog like you used to talk/speak, I'm sure you'll brighten up many a life. Older AND wiser, no doubt.
Cheers :-)
and God Bless.

Anonymous said...

Tony,

I got to know that you have a blog courtesy of Rocky. I used to work with you in advertising dept as marketing trainee and then marketing executive back in 1989-1990 together with May, Nik, Pek Foong and Shauqi. I never imagine you are a writer but I do remember you as a good storyteller.I especially love your puasa story,hahahahaha!!!

I remember lepakking at your house at MD eating Nasi goreng instead of doing sales.Hehehehehe!!!

My condolences for the passing of Fredo.

I still keep in touch occassionally with WR and Zorro.

Write on bro.


Rgds,

tony -stand-up philosopher said...

Hi kna,
Can't really place you.But if you lepak with me in house, you must be ok la. Went into blogging because I'm planning to write a book and I find this is the best place to put my thoughts down and compile them later. Do call and we'll catch up.

zorro said...

Tony, is Johnny F, the same Johnny Fucker Faster we all know.

Kna, reveal yourself or I apply the mark of zorro. Lets have a drink at NPC and I'll forget about the mark.

tony -stand-up philosopher said...

You know him as well zorro, this Johnny F? Same JFF la. A guy who didn't know how to think within the box..always out of the box.