Shoes are poetry

I was at a Hawksley Workman concert this past weekend, and I think he introduced a particularly poignant song with the words "Shoes are poetry". I may not have heard quite right but the song was about shoes, the sad shoes of a shoeshine boy. I think Hawksley is right. Here's my take on shoes as poetry:

Green and brown herringbone Adidas trying to be cool. Jive man, but not quite
Smelly sandals, redolent of summer sand and surf
Pointed stilettos, pointed toes, black and red, what's the image? Nice girl. No
White Keds. Motherhood. Apple Pie
Patterned Keds. Celebrity sources. Advertising at its best(?)
Kids shoes that light up. They know the way.
Black leather boots - whose? They vary so much
Brands, brands, brands
Vans, Diesel, Etnie
Worn at the heel, open-tongued
Polished with spit, covered in mud
Shoes are poetry

So, what does this have to do with living a better life, with turning fear into fun? The point is that shoes are part of how we communicate who we are to the world. Sometimes, our choice of shoes is conscious. We choose to match our outfit, our mood, our clique, our sport. Sometimes we don't have choices. We have one pair without holes in the bottom so we wear them. Sometimes, we wear the shoes even with the holes.

Shoes are only part of how we show ourselves. Marketing convention suggests that the reasons a person chooses a BMW do not relate just to the tangible attributes of the vehicle but also to the psychological benefits. Television programs such as "What not to Wear" play into this aspect. This is all fine and well. My concern is that we not judge each other based on the shortcuts of shoes, clothes, car. Take off the shoes, take off the clothes, strip away regional accents and we are all people. People with the same basic needs. We need food and water, shelter and clothing. We need love and hope and respect.

Over the past week, I have seen numerous people judge each other based on superficial cues. One of the joys of life is meeting people who seem very different from you and then finding connection with them. Heart to heart. Sole to soul.