Shoes

I have walked thousands of miles, through rough terrain and puddles, sometimes dragging my feet when it felt like my body could not take another step.

But I kept going.

I have walked up mountains, through valleys, and on paths that seemed impossible.

But I pushed through.

I have walked in shoes that gave me blisters. I have walked barefoot. I have walked until my legs were shaking with insurmountable pain.

But I keep walking.

I keep pushing through.

I keep moving.

I continue along my journey because it’s the only option I have. The only thing I have to cling to. On the days when I want to give up, I remind myself that I still have legs that can handle the pain. My feet may be bloody and bruised, but I will eventually make it to a place where I can rest.

Someday my journey will be something I can look back on.

Someday my pain will give others hope.

Someday my experiences will be my legacy.

My shoes may be worn and beaten, but they are mine. No one knows what they have been through. No one has seen what they have seen. But these shoes will continue on their journey, knowing that walking up the mountain will provide a beautiful view when they make it to the top.

Someday I will be able to have clean, new and beautiful shoes. Shoes that have not seen the path of the old. Shoes that are worn on a new journey filled with slow casual walks through a park. Shoes that can stop to enjoy the beauty around them. Shoes that will appreciate the path they are on.

For now, my old shoes will keep me going until the path gets easier.