Old boot

968 followers

4 years ago

Next time stop and look at that old pair of boots that you have picked up and are about to throw out, sure they are in the back of the press for ages now unworn and gathering dust. You need the space for the new boots, right.

Have a good look and remember the day that you proudly walked out of the shop with them. The excitement was nearly too much waiting like a kid to wear them out the first night and show them off, maybe even make a few friends jealous.

That first few wares they probably hurt a bit but you persevered and little by little they softened and molded to suit you and claim the accolade of favorite boots.

Now examine them closely. The leather is worn and cracked, stitching that was a vivid red is now dull and torn. Any buckles and eyelets all lack the luster of the boots glory days. There are also cuts and marks on the soles and straps. Dirt and dust cling to all the dyed open cracks of the leather. The leather is hard and weathered. The tender loving care that once was adorned on it has long ended. All these cracks and imperfections tell the story of the boot, how often it was worn, where it carried you, the conditions that it was used or abused in. Your relationship with it.

The old boot could also symbolize a persons' life. As we get older the soft fresh skin of our faces give way to lines and wrinkles that tell an individuals' story. Our face like the boot hides a lot of experience until open closer examination the true boot is reveled.. Every line was etched from our living environment, working conditions, health, welfare, and our relationships. How we handled all these experiences throughout our life is all etched on our faces.

Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with this, it tells a lot about us, before we even say a word. Like the boot we all want to be new, young for ever, but with age comes experience, knowledge, and good judgment or wisdom as some would call it. This is a valuable asset that society is slow to acknowledge and when we do acknowledge it we are slow to make use of the resource.

Society generally dismisses our older generation, they have retired, passed there prime, don't know anything and like the old boot are thrown to the side as if useless and worthless.

We put them in fancy retirement villages or homes often against there wills becauese we think that we have no time to look after that old boot. Ask any person and they will always want to feel useful, not redundant.

We seem to easily forget that all these people were pioneers in they are fields, developing skills that is built on generation after generation, surviving to pass on that knowledge so that the're children may have a better life and existence. We are doing the same for our families and we are the next " old out dated useless generation" in the making.

When our turn comes to be redundant will we be happy. Just because the boot is old it doesn't make it worthless, lavish a bit of care on it and see how much it has to offer again. Our society has us conditioned to discard people and objects too readily not taking the time or making the effort to stop and see what benefits are still to be had from that old boot, We all know the feeling of comfort when slipping on that old pair of boots that are molded to us over the years, so what if they are out of place or embarrassing when we go out, take care of them all the more, show kindness and tolerance and some day hope that the same is returned to you when you're the old boot

Regards

Mark