Unrequited Love

A childhood friend's mother once told me, "don't buy it unless you love it." I have remembered her advice for these ten or so years. I must use it to restrain myself, particularly when it comes to shoes. I have so many, and I've cut back (on purchases and my already established collection) in recent years.

So often, the shoes I love the very most are the ones that do not return my love. They make my feet, my legs, or worse, my back hurt. Still, I cannot help myself. Though my husband scoffs at the impracticality, I choose to love and wear them anyway.

Occasionally I find a pair that make my heart sing. Most often, this means that they will be hateful to me. "Why, oh why," I ask myself, "could these not be as comfortable as they are cute?" My love, though completely unrequited, persists. As soon as the searing pain is gone, all is forgiven, and my adoration is restored. I put them back on my feet and pay the price, in hopes that someone else will see and say those two little words I so love to hear, "Cute shoes!"

(These are some of my favorites, but they are the most hateful. Today's culprit: the purple ones front and center.)