Old Shoes for a New Life
The route was familiar and my shoes were old. But the day was new and there was a tinge of hope and maybe even optimism as I trotted around the edge of the lake. Things in my mind seemed to be in a good place, like there was some clarity that was more vivid than the lake! Even the strides seemed easy and quick and my pace gradually grew quicker without more effort. To a runner it’s why we head out the door as frequently as we do; it’s a hope that the endorphins rush and the flow of being fleet of feet carries us to new heights and new destinations. It’s not all that different from being a regular old human on our time on earth! We want to have peace, a purpose, and enjoy the journey!
When the run wrapped up and I came off the runners high and prepared for the next part of husbandry and dad work I took a look at my sneakers. I mentioned they were old…but they were 3 years old! Now to some people 3 years is nothing. They have shoes that are decades old. But for me this could be a record. You see, I used to own a store that sold shoes. And part of the gig with selling shoes is that you wear a TON of shoes! The simple fact that I had these shoes for 3 years could be a record for me much less wear them for a training run.
New shoes are a luxury for many and it’s a pleasure to get new ones on that feel really, really good. I loved that feeling and since there were many shoes to sell and try out I made sure to do my research. I needed to know what they all felt like from that initial step in as well as after a 10-mile run. There’s also that cool feeling of looking down and seeing something new and fresh on your feet. You want to go out and get a few miles in when there’s new underfoot.
Having access and the ability to experience the new kinda gets you thinking that in order to do things you need to have the latest and greatest. For many years if I had a big race on the horizon there were a new pair of kicks for that event. It might have been the second or third pair of the same make and model but for a big race you NEEDED THE NEW! Having the NEW is like a security blanket for your head; if everything is new and fresh around me than my usual, old way of doing life will be preserved and successful.
Kids get this concept with back to school. I got it with running and triathlon races. We all tend to get it with whatever comes along…have a class reunion? Gotta get a new dress! Moving to a new town? Gotta buy a NEW house and put new appliances in it! There are many events that come along that we present a NEW object to help with the new experience.
So as I kicked off my 3 year old shoes that I’m certain I placed into lawn mowing duty only to bring them back as regular running shoes I had to shake my head at how things changed. It’s like everything flipped upside down in my mentality of running. I used to run to race and bring the new stuff into the equation as a necessity. The new stuff was going to help me reach my goals and help my ego and identity. Now I had old stuff under my feet but a contentment to enjoy the moment and ride and where my legs and life take me. Whew. That’s quite a transformation and reversal! I’m doing things I never imagined and while riding and running are still part of the equation the purpose is quite different. Some days I think my metrics for riding are better than ever but it’s not new equipment that’s changed. It’s me.
The amazing part to me is that we can be around old things and familiar places and be made new. Or we can try to make everything new in our own ability and image and get old and tired trying. See the difference? I’d rather be made new in my mind and with new clarity personally but it’s so easy to get caught in making our surroundings and objects new to justify our old way of thinking.
Being made new is work. And it stretches, prunes, hurts and whatever other verb you want to use to describe being uncomfortable. I won’t say that I’m where I want to be as a new person because it’s a process. The process of flipping where the new is in my life sure has been one that has tested me but it’s better than staying selfish to my own desires and chasing “new” in anything but my outlook, character, and persona. There’s a lot of wrestling with God in this process along with some pouting and stomping of feet. It’s tough to change you when your life is spent changing everything else that’s perceived old around you! You can be made new and have familiar or, gasp, old (!) surroundings all around you but there’s a lot of surrender involved.
I’m not promoting wearing old clapped out shoes for your next run. I mean if you want to you can but where I’m really going is that you don’t have to constantly chase the new in order for your life to be complete in your image. You can allow the script to be flipped and be new even with old things underfoot. New shoes eventually get old but our mind and heart can be made new if we allow it and change the orientation of the new and old from the standard. God gave me a good run with a hilarious observation of my footwear from the past coupled with a heartfelt hope for the future. It resonates with me and I hope it carries you to a new you and orients the old where it needs to belong!
