Funky Friday Shoes

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I wore these shoes to work yesterday. They make my feet happy! They make me happy. The story behind the life of these shoes is a bit sad, but they occasionally get to come out of the closet and really live.

Sixteen years ago my youngest son (now 26) and I went to a craft fair where a young man had his handmade shoes on display. Scott pick out this pair. Because they were very expensive and I was a single mom needing to keep reins on my budget, I asked him if he would wear them. He assured me he would. He was soooo excited about them and I believed him. Unfortunately, he only wore them once. Why, you ask? Or can you guess?

Well, he wore them to school that Monday and came home feeling as funky as the shoes, but in a different way -- dejected. You guessed it, the kids at school made fun of him. It was hard to convince him at that age that it didn't matter what others thought, but what was important was to follow your own music. If I had one message for him now it would be to pay attention to what makes him happy and do it regardless of the judgments of others -- with one caveat -- that he's not hurting anyone.

Given the fact that he has long outgrown these shoes, and even though they are a bit too big for me, I love giving them new life and that they reciprocate by giving me joy!

When have you been discouraged by the reactions of others? Do you retreat? Or do you stand tall?

Go out and live life in all your brightness!!