Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Sole Searching

Sole Searching? We can help.

The flyers distributed to over a hundred children boasted my creative title. I was pleased already, and didn’t even know the miracle that was to come.

Warren Village’s 2nd Annual Qwest Women’s Shoe Delivery Day.

Today was like a glorious Christmas morning. But with shoes. With nothing but shoes.

Qwest Women came to Warren Village two years ago, and noticed that many of our children’s shoes were ratty, improperly fitted, or in a few cases nonexistent. With a population of low income, single parents being served at our facility, Air Jordan’s tend to be a rarity.

So today, QW, with the help of our volunteer department, completed the 2008 shoe drive. A few weeks ago, the Sole Searching? flyers were distributed to every child at Warren Village. There was a space for the child’s name, age, apartment number/learning center classroom, and most importantly shoe preferences!

“I like shoe’s that light up! _X_yes ___no”

With a little help, every child got to describe their perfect shoe. Their current shoe was traced on the back of the flyer, with their size written aside it. This made shopping easier for QW, as they could visually compare sizes.

I have never seen so many Dora the Explorer shoes in my life. Or Disney Cars shoes. There was even a pair of shoes that looked like the red Disney Car.

It was unbelievable.

Every child received a NEW pair of shoes, that not only fit properly but were also amazingly cool. Shoes ranged from infant sizes to a size 14 in Men’s. There were Nike cleats, there were Vans slip-ons. There was laughter. There were rooms full of children, all smiling.

There were plenty of photo opportunities.

It’s days like this, when things can be at their absolute worst, that I can honestly stop and say:

I love my job.

PS. You know that expression- walk a mile in someone else’s shoes? I think it’s only worth saying if it’s implied that your listener will reflect on their journey.

Granted, most will. But today I was reminded of how little I’ve reflected upon my journey, or at least the “road map” that I wrote two and a half years ago:

  • Pay back my debt

  • Get a killer tan (not in a literal skin cancer sense)

  • Paint more

  • Run a mile in 8 min or less

  • Get a sexy, sculpted back

  • Develop a system of organization

  • Eat fruit, and eat breakfast

  • Go to the thrift store. Buy girly clothing

  • End nonsense bickering with family

  • Snorkel in Australia

  • Go to Hawaii, and meet Jack Johnson after a show

  • Visit every baseball stadium in the US

  • Enter a video in a film festival

  • Learn to knit

  • Actually win one of those carnival games down the shore

  • Complete a triathlon

  • Compete in fight club (or at least take boxing lessons)

  • Join the mile high club

  • See a meteor shower

  • Float in the Dead Sea

  • Give a motivational speech

  • Celebrate New Years in all US time zones

  • Own a pair of hemp sandals

  • Watch my sisters get married

A few of these were short term, some ridiculous, and yet all were important to me at the time. I wrote this list, and then I forgot about it. It made me wonder what’s the point of walking our own miles, if we don’t remember why we’re doing it?

Looking over the list, I’ve only fully completed six of those goals. I say fully because some are works in progress—I’ve half completed the last, and am undisciplined but trying really hard on the physical ones.

But something makes me think that not knowing how to ride a bike will make the triathlon goal especially challenging. Even if I was to get into Olympic shape.

Posted by Rumbels at 06:09:24
Comments

5 Responses to “Sole Searching”

  1. Liz says:
    June 5, 2008 at 2:59 pm

    the shoe even sounds/looks awesome!! how great :)

    also, that’s quite a list there. triathalon? you’re crazy

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