I have a confession. I have a fetish for a spanking clean pair for new shoes. Overall, I love when the things I wear look well kept, groomed, new rather and as such I have been giving away a lot of my shoes especially when they don't seem to live up to my standard of looking fresh.
Ever so often I would donate things I no longer wear or have need for to my church's ARC Centre. When the items are donated there, the church resells those items for remarkably low prices. It is a lot like Goodwill Stores.
One Sabbath, whilst sitting in church for service I fixed my eyes upon a unique pair of shoes that looked quite like a pair I had owned, worn by one of the church members. I smiled and wondered,
"could it be? My shoe." I mean, I had no interest in ever wearing it again as it began to fall apart when I had it. I looked closer to see the nails driven by what it would appear to be a shoemaker who mended it. You know. Made it look like new.
I don't like to judge and thousands more of that style of shoe could have been made. Just like mine, but it was so unique. Of all the times I have worn it, I have never seen it anywhere else.
That day I went home and wondered to myself; how privileged am I to give away a shoe I thought was unworthy to be seen on my feet again, made new by someone else who wore it it pride. I marveled.
How many things have we taken for granted, all because we have a tad bit too much and oh how we love to complain about the things we don't have and fail to realize and give thanks for the things we do have. Old shoes made new!