Mismatched Shoes

Mismatched Shoes

This past week, I posted a story on Facebook about a silly mistake I had made – and many of my friends and family quickly began posting their smiles and comments. I had to laugh at myself – it was just so silly!!!

I left home that morning thinking I had done everything correctly. As I headed to my car, I said good morning and visited for a few minutes with my neighbor who was out taking his dog for an early morning walk. Then, I got into my car and headed to work just like every other day. When I got there, I pretty much had to hit the deck running. My morning schedule was crowded, and I stayed very busy. I finally settled into my office about 12:30 and relaxed a bit while I ate lunch peacefully at my desk. It was nice to slow down, quiet my thoughts, and catch my breath. I really enjoyed the break.

After lunch, I headed out to another obligation. As I stood and walked out of my office into the hallway, I suddenly felt like I was limping. I couldn’t imagine what was wrong….until I looked down and saw that I had two completely different shoes on my feet. Well, to be completely honest – they were at least a little bit similar. They were both black! However, one was a heel and one was a flat. I was walking like Chester on Gunsmoke! (For those of you too young to remember Chester – he was a deputy sheriff on the popular television show Gunsmoke – and his character walked with a pronounced limp.)

I had to chuckle at myself. I mean, good grief! How busy was I that I hadn’t even noticed I was wearing two different shoes? It wasn’t only that I had left the house that way – but I had worn them for over half the day without even noticing my mistake??? I shared it with others – hoping to bring smiles and laughter……and I think it did.

It got me to thinking, though, What else did I miss that day? What things do I miss every day? What other mistakes do I make when I think everything is going along okay?

I thought about the many times when I have said things without thinking – things that came out out of my mouth before I thought them through as I should – in other words, when my words were not delivered as I intended. I thought about times when I rushed by friends and colleagues with a quick smile or hello, hurrying past them to get to my next meeting or responsibility instead of taking a quick moment to enjoy their company.

I thought back to something that happened a few years ago. It was my first year in a new career change. The responsibilities of my job were huge – and I was having to learn as I went along. It was an incredibly stressful, hectic year. My Mother stopped by one day to drop off lunch for me at my office. I was glad to see her (I always am!), but I was in a hurry. I had several obligations I had to take care of before my work day ended. Mother could tell I was busy, so she quickly dropped off my lunch, hugged my neck, and left. As I turned to go on with my work, I saw the taillights of Mother’s car as she drove away…….and I thought of how many people I know who do not have the opportunity to see their moms anymore. I thought about how fortunate I am…..and I made up my mind that day to always have time for my Mother any time she is there. If pressing obligations cause me to stay later at the office, so be it. You know what? It’s worked out just fine.

I am going to try to use my silly blunder this past week to (hopefully) make even more positive changes. In the future, I’m going to TRY to move a little slower, to think about what I’m doing a bit more, and most importantly to appreciate each moment of my day as much as possible. By doing so, perhaps I will wear the right shoes next time! More importantly, maybe I will be wiser with my words, my choices, and my priorities. I do so want to enjoy the people and the world around me. Each day is filled with so many amazing blessings – and I want to take the time to appreciate them. I want to remember to focus on and think on GOOD THINGS.

• Share
• Tweet
• Share
• Pin
• Email