The Story of the Teal Shoes

How should I begin the story of the teal shoes? Well, perhaps it's best to say that I have always liked this color. What's not to love? It's the color of the water at Seaside, Florida. It's the playful blend of a more respectable green, lots of sunlight, and a touch of nautical blue. It's the glimmer of my wife's eyes when the sun hits her just right. So, I am very fond of this particular shade.

We walked into H&M, and I immediately spotted them. We were shopping for some vacation clothes as it was getting close to departure day. (More on that later in a post to come.) I slowly approached, looked at the very affordable price, and then tried them on. They fit oh so well.

The respectable aging grandfather in me said no. My wife said "Go for it!" But in a moment of fear of what others would think, I passed them by. A weekend later, I asked an old friend, who happens to be an interior designer with an incredible sense of color what she thought. A head shake "no" confirmed my suspicions.

Fast forward another week. I couldn't get that thought out of my head. It's not too often a piece of clothing puts a smile on my face. Back to H&M I went. This time I bravely followed through.

There are so many areas of my life where people influence me. More than I care to admit. My time on this earth is getting shorter than I'd like to admit. Dammit, these are my equivalent of the infamous Red Hat Society, a group of older ladies who wear red hats and purple dresses. God made me unique, with a quirky sense of what I like, and an adventurous spirit, with a heart to follow Jesus into things most people would laugh at or skip past.

Embrace the unique self He created to serve and praise Him. Long live the Teal Shoes!