Day 9: Shoes

I came across the pair of shoes that I wore down the aisle.

They were tucked in a keepsake box, along with our vows from that day, inside my Pa’s old hope chest that now serves as our coffee table. Those shoes are other — other than anything I’ve worn in years, now that life’s drifted comfortably into ordinary joy and trials.

These days, it’s Birkenstocks, daily, because the goal is comfort to chase babies in the sun, buy groceries, and even to go out with my Mister (though sometimes I’ll upgrade to flats for that). Comfort is a gift and comfort is good, but recently I’ve been thinking that only comfort would be a bummer.

Marriage is other — sacred, amidst both the ordinary and unexpected. A priceless treasure to be handled with care, even in the hustle or dullness that different seasons confer.

I don’t care what shoes we wear, as long as we can remember that the road that we walk together is other — whether ordinary or hectic, planned out or unexpected, comfortable or anything but, in sickness or in health, comfort or upheaval. And I’m so glad I get to walk this ordinary, awesome, and sacred road with you.