The reason I had to take inventory is because times are tough, finances are not what they were last year and sadly there is no room in my current budget to buy new shoes. I must resort to wearing what I already have: LAST YEAR'S STYLES! For a girl like me, that's pretty painful. I am not a foolish person. I know I can't spend money I don't have so I did the next best thing. I went through all the shoes I own and decided which ones I want to keep, which are still in great condition, which ones need to be sent out for repair, and which shoes I should donate to a worthy cause.
This whole experience got me to thinking.........Does my shoe obsession make me any less spiritual?
I think of myself as spiritual. I am deep, creative, reflective and aware. I understand that I am a small part of something greater and every thought, action, and word has a positive or negative effect on the world around me. I care for all living things and honor and respect the beliefs and spiritual practice of others; even if they are different than mine. I pray, I meditate, I nourish my spirit. I practice yoga, I do my part to recycle and help save the planet. I don't eat meat. I don't wear fur or leather. I see God in everything: the sunrise, the sea, the flowers, the trees and I can feel His presence in the wind, in a temple, a mosque, a cathedral and even at a rock concert. I try to live my life as God's hand extended to the world, trying to offer words of encouragment, a smile, small acts of kindness on a daily basis- even when kindness is not offered to me. I have faith in things I cannot see, I know things will get better if I just hold on and keep going. I believe this for myself and for others.
That sounds pretty spiritual, don't you think?
But wave a pair of sexy, strappy, five-inch heels in front of me and I am weak at the knees. I want to add them to my already enormous collection.
I do not buy every single gorgeous pair of shoes I see. If I did, I would most certainly be homeless. I would be pushing a shopping cart filled with all my shoes up and down the streets of the city. I've never spent the equivalent of one's month rent on a single pair of shoes. If given the choice between buying shoes or buying groceries, I certainly would spring for the groceries. My shoe collection is not harming or hurting anyone and I certainly have never gone into debt over it. There have been times that my credit card bill arrived and in order to pay it I ate nothing but soup and sandwiches for a week or two. I live alone. No one else is depending on me so I can make sacrifices like that every once in awhile. When I was married and brought home a new pair of shoes, I would drag the bottom of each shoe across the drive-way a few times. This way, if my ex complained about another new pair of shoes, I would proudly turn them over and expose the slightly worn soles. Deceptive? Oh yes, but it worked!
Not very spiritual of me though, was it?
Why I am so shoe-obsessed? It probably stems from my childhood. We lived comfortably but there wasn't a whole lot of money to spend on frivilous things like dozens of shoes. I had a pair of shoes for school, a pair for church and a pair of sneakers for play. That was it. Most of the shoes I had were hand-me-downs from my older cousins. That's the way it was done back then. Waste not, want not. I didn't want second-hand shoes. They weren't even shoes I liked. I hated them! I wanted lots of really nice new shoes like my girlfriend, Jeannie, next door. Her mother worked and was always buying her the coolest shoes. Sadly, her feet were much smaller than mine so she couldn't share. I whined and complained to my parents. My father would say the same thing every time. " I complained I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet!"
Talk about GUILT with a capital 'G' !
I swore that some day I would have my own money and then I would buy as many pairs of shoes as my little heart desired. And that is exactly what I did. The best therapy in the world for me? A day spent shoe shopping!
So I arrive to yoga studios, health and wellness events, vegan cooking classes, and local reiki circles in my sexy, strappy five-inch heels. Each time, I am wearing a different pair. I introduce myself as a holistic health and wellness professional with a focus on healing the body, mind and spirit. In my field, most people have a certain look and style. They live more of simple life which doesn't include a house overflowing with high-heeled shoes. I know people are thinking, "Is she for real?"
This makes me feel very unspiritual at times........
The one thing about me is that I refuse to fit into a pre-fabricated mold. I can't be anything other than who I am. I refuse to be what or who people think I should be. I happen to love shoes. I can't buy every single glorious pair I see so I take some of my passion for shoes and share it with others. I post my shoe of the day on Facebook for everyone to see. It's fun, it's harmless and it's possible that one of you out there is searching for the perfect pair of shoes for a special event and you happen to love the ones I post. That's my gift to you.
Spirituality is many things and different things to different people. To me, it's acceptance: accepting myself and others as they are. It's being who I am, even if I am completely different from anyone else. It's letting others be who they are. God made each and every one of us so unique and different- with individual gifts, talents, passions and obsessions. Spirituality is sharing all those things God gave us with others.
Does my obsession with shoes make me less than spiritual? NOPE! It makes me.....ME!
Do you want to be spiritual? Start by embracing who you are....exactly as you are!
Not sure how to start? Come and visit me. Share a cup of tea, a few laughs and a discussion of all things spiritual. Or we can talk about diet, diease prevention, or healthy eating. What ever you want to talk about is fine with me. I am willing to share my ideas, suggestions, my success and my failures. And if it's a pair of shoes you need or want, I will share those, too. I wear a size 8 1/2!
And this is my Daily Cyn........
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