Sneakers On Me

The Grand Rapids Times
7-23-2010

If everyone has an obsession, mine would be shoes.

People constantly ask me, “Why do you have so many shoes when you only have two feet?”

My answer is always, “A person can never have too many shoes.”

Usually, when I shop for sneakers, I look for the ones that stand out – the ones that no one else has, or the ones that will label me as being different from everyone else.

When I go places, I want people to see my many sneakers out of my large collection because the sneakers on me make me proud.

However, currently I have traded my sneakers in for a pair of steel toe boots.

I like walking in my shoes, but I decided to adventure out to walk in my father’s boots for a while.

I walk in these boots, and I see now.

I see exactly how hard my father had worked for years to provide for his family.

I see how in these boots my father goes to a factory everyday of the week to take care of children that are and aren’t biologically his.

I wonder, even with these boots on, would I be able to stand up and do the same.

These boots have me working 60 hours a week and still trying to make quality time for my family.

Some days I dread the time that I have to put on these boots because where I work, millions of other people are wearing boots just like mine.

These boots aren’t my sneakers, but when I take them off they will be going in the sneaker collection.

They don’t make me stand out, and they don’t make me look different from other people that may have them; but they do make me feel like a man.

Why would I place a pair of steel toe boots in with the sneaker collection?

Like many of my rare sneakers, my boots are irreplaceable.

This article is dedicated to my father Bill Hendler for wearing his boots for years.

I also want to dedicate this to any other parent who thinks your children don’t appreciate what you do for a living.

Read them this article for them to understand what it means to walk in your shoes.

One for the week: “Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ “ Deuteronomy 4:6